Seeing Double
by andtheny
Summary: Can you be friends with yourself? After the accident Danny Fenton is split in two: His memories die and are reborn in the form of Phantom, an inverted ghostly double that the human Danny- now with amnesia- can't shake off. The two form an odd friendship, one that Danny suspects to be a tad unhealthy.
1. Chapter 1

He waited until well after midnight. He knew Maddie and that dullard, Jack, would be deep in REM sleep by then. Shivering as he floated out of his body, he stretched and yawned like a vampire rising out of a crypt.

It felt good to expand his ectoplasm again, free from that meatsack. Sometimes he wondered why he still bothered to lug the thing around. But as he looked at himself tucked into bed, his long silver hair neatly arranged on the pillow he assured himself that it was a handsome package. Maddie would prefer it to the blue skin and fangs of his true form.

Yet Vlad was no longer used to containing himself within his human half for long. Least of all in his own home, where he'd normally float about freely.

It was best to get used to restraint now, he reasoned, when he married Maddie it would be best for her not to _see._

It would have been better, he thought sourly, if she hadn't left him to waste away for so many years. Waiting for her to leave that damn fool, waiting for her to reach out. When she didn't he felt as if he might as well be dead. He had allowed his muscles to atrophy, he would forget to feed the damn body, he'd leave it in bed, he-

But no use dwelling on that now. He'd bounced back. Regained his strength. The body was perfect now. Well muscled but refined. His clothes were perfect, his hair shone. Vlad didn't need to examine the body again to know that.

The time he spent waiting, regretting, yearning for her… Well, it would not matter once Jack was dead.

Not tonight, of course, he knew that would arouse suspicion. Oh he had a grand plan, he would re-integrate himself into their lives. They'd be best friends again, the three of them. He'd move to Amity Park, soon enough, he'd join the business. Funding, they needed funding now that the ghosts were flooding the city. They needed new tech, maybe a team of interns, researchers, Vlad had connections to universities and government officials.

Maddie would be overjoyed and then, the tragedy. A grieving widow.

But _not tonight_ he reminded himself as he flew around the mansion. Like a new father pacing in a hospital room, he flitted from one room to another, anxious and impatient. As soon as he'd seen the buffoon it had been all he could do to stop himself from leaking out of his skin, he'd wanted to leap out and into the other man's hulking body.

He'd wanted to clamp down on his neck, squeeze the life out, Take a bite out of his flesh. If he could Vlad wanted to-

_What was that?_

Vlad froze, his ghost halting halfway through the floor. The floor of the ballroom, that is, while his head poked out of the ceiling in the kitchen. It wasn't that he'd heard a noise, there was no disturbance in the mansion. All the humans in the building were accounted for. He could feel the heat of them in each guest bedroom, their bodies peacefully slumbering.

His own body, too, lay as if asleep. Though he knew the state he left it in each time was akin to a coma. Should a doctor examine him while he was away, he knew his human half would be hospitalized. He had, in fact, been hospitalized several times.

But what _was _that? He felt it in the air. A disturbance, a vibration, a ghost? It wasn't the dairy king. That old man was a guppy, his existence a pebble dropped into a pond. _This _fellow on the other hand… Felt like a boulder.

Then a blast of ectoplasm shot at his head and he crashed back the way he came, through the ceiling, and the presence was a volcanic eruption.

The first attack caught him by surprise, but Vlad was prepared for the next one. His shields were up and he sent a clone after the intruder. The ghost put up a fight, he was a powerful little thing, but even a volcano is powerless against the sun.

Vlad sent a second clone after the pair, though the ghost had already been subdued. He felt it was safer that way. When he approached, both clones had the boy pinned between them. All four of his limbs had been restrained. Ah, had he kicked them?

A young ghost, then. Not only young in death, but he had lived a short life. That much was obvious. The young buck bared his teeth at Vlad, green eyes flashing, and even now struggled against his clones.

"Why do you attack me, boy?" It really was a curious thing. Most ghosts could sense the powerful aura surrounding his mansion and were smart enough to fly around. Only the dairy king was allowed to make a home here, as he'd been haunting the place years before Vlad had been born.

"Cause you give me the heebie jeebies?" the boy said with a grimace. "What are you, a vampire? What do you want with the family here? Are you going to eat them?"

Vlad blinked. "You mean the Fentons?"

"No the illegal immigrants hiding in the basement," the white haired ghost deadpanned.

"What?" Vlad recognized teenage sarcasm when he heard it. But that didn't make it any less disorienting to hear it, especially in this context.

"Yes the Fentons!" the ghost glared up at him from under his bangs, then he blew at them, trying to get them out of his face. "Look if you aren't going to hurt them can you let me go? I realize now I may have jumped the gun just a tiny bit."

"Is that so?" Vlad bared his fangs.

The boy gulped. "Y-you seem like a reasonable man," he said. "We can totally talk this out like adults. We both have humans we care about right? You're haunting the creepy millionaire, I'm haunting the family, no one needs to interfere with anyone's, uh, haunt here."

"You think I'm haunting Vlad Masters?" Vlad said.

"Or I guess you might just be haunting the mansion?" the boy shrugged. Or tried to, but the clones had a firm grasp on his arms. "Did you die here or something?"

Vlad stared at him in silence for a moment, processing that scenario. Then he began laughing. Slowly at first, small chuckles, and then more loudly.

If he were in his body he'd feel the laughter in his temples, he'd feel the strain on his facial muscles. If he were in his body he might have bent over, he might have gulped for air.

But he was not in his body. He was free to laugh, louder and louder, the sound echoing around them as both of his clones picked up on the mirth as it leaked out of him. Together the three of them laughed, they laughed harder than he had ever had reason to laugh before.

The boy was disturbed. He blasted one of the clones in the chin, the firepower enough to dissolve it. Vlad took hold of his arm in an instant and the boy remained pin between them, cowed as Vlad leaned into his face with a manic grin, close enough to kiss the boy atop his head if he so desired.

Slowly, the laughter died and Vlad put his arm around the boy's shoulder. He dismissed the remaining clone and steered the boy amicably through the mansion, towards the bedroom where his body lay.

"My boy!" Vlad said, in good spirits for a reason he could not begin to explain to himself. "Vlad Masters is no mere _human_. I do not flit about him invisibly, nor do I torment him as a poltergeist might."

"I don't understand," the ghost said. "I don't… What do you mean?"

"I'll show you," Vlad said. "I'll show you why I am special. Why I am powerful."

The boy stiffened when he saw the body. It looked like any other human, peacefully sleeping. He might have worried that they would wake him. To demonstrate just how soundly this body slept Vlad made a show of lifting every object in the room.

The bed, the desk, the chair and closet doors. The shelves and every book in them, pens and papers, bookends and paper weights, everything save the floor and walls was allowed to float around the room. Vlad's body lay undisturbed as the blanket over him flew away, as the bedpost rattled and a book of stamps lightly landed on his head.

Vlad didn't want to give himself a concussion, but he was tempted to wack himself with a lamp, just to prove his point.

"I thought you said you weren't a poltergeist," the ghost said.

Vlad sighed. "A normal human would be awake by now, don't you think?"

The boy crossed his arms over his chest. As he did so Vlad realized for the first time that he was wearing a black and white full bodysuit. Was it hazmat? Like the ridiculous get up Maddie and Jack wore at all times.

Strange.

The boy put his hands on his hips. "Look could you please _stop. _Maybe?"

Vlad frowned at the gall of this lad to order him around like this. On his own property. In his own bedroom. But there was something charming about the ghost. Vlad did not scold him. In fact he was inclined to do as the child requested, he wanted to seem friendly now. Though he could not fathom why. Something in the boys features was endearing. His cheekbones? The shape of his jaw? Vlad could not pinpoint exactly what it was about this boy that was so... familiar.

Until it hit him. The boy looked like Maddie. Like her son, who he had met this afternoon. That boy had hair like his father's, eyes like his father's so it had been hard to _look _at him without seeing _Jack _but _this _boy. His hair was fair, his eyes green.

And so his mother shone through, blindingly bright. Dazzling him.

Abruptly everything in the room plummeted to the ground. The bed landed on the ground first, it was the heaviest object in the room, and crashed with a sharp _bang. _Everything else rained down with little thumps and the tinkling of shattering glass. Light bulbs breaking, perhaps. Or a paperweight. But Vlad didn't care. He was staring at the boy, dumbfounded.

The smaller ghost was startled by the sudden change, he bolted for the ceiling. Vlad grabbed him by the wisp of his tail and yanked him back towards him.

"Oh no you don't!" Vlad said. "It took me a moment, but I recognize you now."

"R-recognize me?" Her son was panicking. "I don't… What?"

Vlad chuckled. "I should have realized it sooner. Wasn't there an accident? Months ago?" It was inevitable that things would turn out this way. Jack and Maddie were mad scientists at their core. Even their own children were not safe. "I heard there was an explosion."

The boy played dumb. "What?" He wriggled around in Vlad's arms and tried an ecto-blast. Vlad allowed the charge to hit him in the shoulder, he winced and tightened his grip on the boy. But he would not hurt the lad. This was a firm hug, at worst.

"The _portal_ Daniel, were you there?" Vlad felt himself giggle. This was perfect, he realized, he couldn't have asked for a more perfect outcome. "When they activated the portal, were you in the room?"

He had seemed so confused when Vlad had alluded to his nature, but there was really no need to explain it after all. They were the same! Perhaps young Daniel simply thought he was alone in this.

Vlad could not blame him for that assumption. He'd thought the same.

It took him a moment to process Vlad's words, but when he did he stopped struggling. Vlad let him go. They drifted apart, facing each other.

If it were possible for the blood to drain from a ghost's face, young Daniel would be paling right now. As it was he looked shocked. Horrified.

But why?

"Don't worry," Vlad said. "It happened to me too."

"It did?"

"I'll show you," Vlad said. "Look!"

The room was in shambles now, but it didn't matter. His body continued to sleep peacefully on the bed, though the frame had cracked and splintered under him. The blankets were gone, somewhere in a pile on the other side of the room, and he lay with his hair a tangled mess over his face. It didn't matter, it didn't matter.

Though now Vlad wished he'd presented a better image to his young charge. He felt a bit embarrassed. _It didn't matter. _

The boy watched as Vlad approached his human half. He sat down on top of him, his legs neatly fitting inside his flesh, he lay back and lowered himself into his own torso.

They were a perfect fit, of course.

It was a little disorienting this time, to blink his eyes open and find his hair in his face. His left arm was numb. It had been pinned under his body when he'd moved the bed. He massaged it a bit, trying to get rid of the tingling, and looked up at Daniel for his reaction.

"I don't understand," the boy said. "You possessed him?"

Vlad blinked, "What? No I-"

There was a sharp knock on his bedroom door. "Mister Masters! Are you okay?!"

Vlad and the ghost boy blinked at each other.

"Mister Masters! It's Danny, I thought I heard something break in here?!"

The ghost flew towards Vlad and urgently whispered, "Don't tell him I'm here!"

Then he vanished as the door was kicked open and young Daniel Fenton, human and black haired, ran into the room. "What happened?! Was there a ghost?"

Before Vlad could respond the boy shouted, "I'll get my parents!"

Then he ran back down the hallway.


	2. Chapter 2

Maybe he should have followed Jazz to the home theater. She was probably eating popcorn for dinner while watching boring football documentaries. What's so wrong with football anyway? Other than the way the sport inherently reminded him of Dash, that is.

But this was definitely worse. It was like going to a school dance with your parents. And also everyone else's parents. While you're the only person in the room born after the 1960s. Was it normal to bring your kid to your college reunion? It couldn't be, Danny was the only kid here.

He flinched as a new song began to play on the speakers over head. Oh no, this was his dad's favorite song. He was gonna track him down and make him dance that stupid pogo stick dance where they jump up and down like idiots. Time to get out of here.

For the first time Danny realized his stature was working in his favor. He slipped in between the other dancers easily and had almost made it across the room when he felt a meaty hand land on his shoulder.

Oh no.

"Listen Dad I can't dance right now," Danny said. "I really need to go to the bathroom!"

"That's not important," his dad said. "I need to talk to you about Masters."

Danny blinked. His dad never addressed Mr. Masters by his last name. It was always _Vladdy _or _V_-_man _or something. He squinted up at his father and was startled to note that the man stared back with strange green eyes. _Green eyes!_

"Phantom?!"

The ghost flinched with his father's face. "Let's talk somewhere else."

"What are you _doing_?!" Danny slapped the hand off his shoulder and spun around to directly face him. "Get out of him. Right now!"

"Wait," Phantom said. "It's not safe for me to-"

"If you don't get out of there right now I'm going to scream for my mom," Danny said. "I swear to God I will. And she'll, I don't know, vacuum you out. And then torture you!"

Phantom puppeteered his dad's arms to lift in mock surrender. "Fine. Meet me in the kitchen." Then he saluted.

Danny knew he was gone when his dad blinked, his eyes blue once again.

"Whoa," his dad said. "It took me so long to find you the song's almost over!"

Resigned, Danny allowed himself to get dragged back towards the dance floor.

oOo

"What the hell possessed you to think that it was okay to, to," Danny sputtered. "To actually _posses_ my dad?!"

Phantom chuckled. "That one was weak."

They were standing in the pantry. Well, Danny was standing. Phantom was floating. And glowing faintly, enough that they could see each other without a light.

"Seriously," Danny said. "What are you doing out here anyway? I didn't know ghosts could just…"

"Leave the place they haunt?" Phantom reclined in the air, floating on his back now. "It's not always as simple as that." He cradled his head in his palms, fingers interlocked, elbows sticking out. "Ghosts are more complex than you Fentons give us credit for."

"Yeah, yeah my parents are racist, spare me," Danny said. "I thought this was urgent?"

Phantom frowned. "It's Masters."

"What about him?"

"He's possessed," Phantom said. "There's this really powerful ghost-"

"Wait you mean like the way _you _possessed my dad two seconds ago?" Danny grabbed the back of Phantom's jumpsuit and tugged him out of the air. He overestimated just how _light _the ghost was and pulled with too much force, falling backwards as Phantom bounced against his chest.

If he were a normal person affected by gravity or momentum Phantom might have landed in Danny's lap. As it was he hovered over Danny stiffly. As if he'd decided to flip over, he no longer floated on his back. He lay on his stomach, chin propped up on his palm.

His elbows rested as if there was a floor under them. Phantom bent his knees and crossed his ankles together, peering down at Danny like last week's incomplete History essay.

It was this strange stillness in him that allowed Danny to see for the first time that Phantom was _not _as relaxed as he pretended to be. Something had seriously freaked him out.

Regretting his interruption now Danny picked himself up off the floor and regarded Phantom carefully. The ghost continued to hover over him as he moved, his eyes followed his movements like a cat waiting for its owner to feed him.

Danny gulped, disturbed by this weird silence he'd accidentally knocked them into.

"A really powerful ghost?" he prompted.

Phantom blinked. "Right." He straightened himself out, vertical at last. "He can make clones of himself." Shuddering, the ghost placed a hand on Danny's head. "He slipped into Masters like a pair of shoes. Look, it wasn't exactly the same way I did it with your dad."

"I'm sorry about that," Phantom continued. "I just wanted to _check._"

Phantom's hand remained on Danny's head. Idly patting him. Danny grabbed it and pulled Phantom down, more carefully this time, so that the ghost was forced to stand with his feet on the ground.

"What do you _mean?_" Danny said.

Before the ghost could respond the door to the pantry opened. Phantom went invisible and Danny blinked into the light.

"Ah, there you are Daniel," Vlad Masters said. "Just the Fenton I wanted to see."

oOo

Danny told him he was looking for guacamole. So Masters had taken it upon himself to make some from scratch, preening at the opportunity to slice open the avocados he'd just had shipped from… Some foreign country.

He was having trouble paying attention. Nodding and smiling, trying to look suitably impressed as the older man bustled around his chrome and steel kitchen, Danny wondered if Phantom was still in the room. He'd said Vlad was possessed by a powerful ghost, so it was likely.

But Danny found it hard to believe as he watched this man, his father's old college pal, get so excited about homemade guacamole.

However, there was definitely something weird going on here. The way Danny had found Masters last night, sitting in the middle of that tornado disaster zone of a room, had been disconcerting, to say the least. Though Masters had sworn up and down that there were no ghosts and locked the doors before Danny got back with his parents. They'd gone back to sleep at his assurances, disappointed. His parents had, that is. Danny remained awake for the rest of the night.

"Did you sleep alright?" Danny said, finally, while Masters' back was turned. He was focused on chopping up some tomatoes. "After I, uh, woke you?"

"I slept quite well in my little mess," Masters said, jovially. He drew his shoulders back and laughed heartily, like a bad actor in a cheerful school play. "I'm sorry I woke _you._"

Masters turned around to look at Danny directly; to assess his reaction. In answer, Danny shrugged.

"I've grown so used to an empty house over the years," Masters continued. "I've forgotten the basic decorum of leaving a night undisturbed."

"Though I was also surprised you heard me," Masters said. "The guest rooms are on an entirely different floor."

"Yeah, this place is ridiculously big," Danny said. He tugged on the hairs at the nape of his neck. "But it's also, uh, really empty. Sounds echo far."

He felt fingers on his back, lightly making their existence known before Phantom's palms pressed down on him. The ghost lifted them to his shoulders slowly, it was like a weird back rub, and then he clamped down. He held Danny like this, by the shoulders, and then his chest was pressed against Danny's back. He whispered, "Tread carefully."

Danny did not react. "Oh and my room was closest to the staircase," he added. "But anyway I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions like that. Guess it just runs in my family, huh? Any strange little thing happens and my dad's first reaction is: 'Ghosts_!'_ It's contagious."

Masters laughed again, normally this time and Danny grinned.

"I understand," Masters said. "I understand your father's enthusiasm for ghosts better than anyone else possibly could. Well, aside from your mother, of course."

"Of course," Danny said. He tried to make his smile as easy going as possible.

"Tone down the teeth," Phantom whispered. Danny dropped the smile. He reached for the hairs at his neck again, with both hands this time, and made as if to stretch his back so he could elbow Phantom off of him. He missed, but Phantom left on his own with an indignant huff of air.

Masters had gone back to slicing up his tomatoes during this exchange. He hummed to himself as he poured the little cubes into a bowl.

"While I've got you here Daniel," he said. "There's something I've been meaning to ask."

"Okay," Danny said. Now he regretted not knowing where Phantom was. The ghost was still in the room, obviously, but it was disorienting not being able to just _see _him.

"The portal," Masters said. He paused, frowning to himself. Danny blinked.

For a moment they both just stared at each other.

"The day it was finally, well, operational," Masters said. "There was an accident."

It was a statement, but Danny thought he knew what Masters was trying to ask.

"I didn't have any side effects," Danny said. "No, uh, ecto-acne, was it?"

"Yes," Masters sighed. "It afflicted me for many years."

"I'm sorry about that," Danny said. "It must have been, uh, alienating."

The way Masters laughed just then was loud enough to startle them both. It was not the showy fake laughter he had started with, nor the mild amusement Danny had pegged as his _real _laughter. It was a short burst of breath, like it had been punched out of him, and Masters covered his mouth as if he'd burped.

To assure the older man that there was nothing to be embarrassed about Danny giggled. It sounded stupid, but it was the best reaction he could have chosen. Masters beamed at him.

"You're an intelligent boy," Masters said. "You must get it from your mother."

"Nah, my sister is the real brainiac," Danny said. "She aces everything and then reads _ahead. _You know she's already taking college classes? She hasn't even graduated yet!"

"Don't underestimate yourself Daniel. With guidance, I'm sure you could-"

With a groan, Phantom popped into existence between them. "Oh my god I'm going to barf!" he said. "Stop it!"

Masters blinked. Then he gasped. "A ghost!"

Danny winced. "Sh-should I get my parents?"

"Enough with the sham!" Phantom hovered over Masters with his shoulders squared, his hands planted on his hips. "Reveal yourself you, you ghost!"

Masters gulped. "You're calling _me _a ghost?" He shook his head. "There must be some sort of misunderstand-"

Then Phantom grabbed Masters around his midsection and _pulled. _"You're not," he huffed. "Fooling me!" Something faintly glowed in his fist. Danny squinted at it.

It was red? No. Pink.

"I can _see,_" Phantom planted his feet on Masters' shoulders as he continued to tug on his midsection, upside down now. "Your core!" Phantom grunted.

The older man was so confused by the ghosts actions that he remained still as the ghost slowly pulled a glowing tendril of pink energy out of him. When it was out Masters collapsed.

"Whoa!" Danny sprang forward to catch him. Too late, he was already on the floor. But Danny propped him up against the cabinets. Or tried to, Masters' body tilted sideways, nearly squashing the teen.

Meanwhile the ball of pink energy in Phantom's hands exploded. It was the last thing Danny saw before he blacked out.


	3. Chapter 3

"Well," Five vampire ghosts said, calmly floating in a circle in the middle of the room. "There is a first time for everything, I suppose."

Their voices reverberated in the air as they spoke. Phantom winced at the sound of it. Worse than five pieces of chalk scrapped on a blackboard all at once.

He'd landed on the fridge. Actually he'd made a Phantom-sized dent in the door. When he lifted himself out of it he saw the shape he left behind. A steel plated snow angel.

The explosion had been so sudden he'd been too slow to react. Normally he'd have preferred to just fly _through _the fridge and then circle back. Not that it hurt to crumple the door of a steel fridge like tin foil _with your body. _When you're a ghost nothing hurts.

Unless you forget that nothing hurts, Phantom thought with another wince. He rolled his shoulders forward and flapped his arms and legs. Like when your foot falls asleep and you just need to get the blood flowing again. Except for _all_ his limbs.

And ectoplasm instead of blood.

The ghost clones were ignoring him at the moment. They regarded each other with cheshire grins and started holding hands.

What the heck.

Anyway, the impact didn't hurt Phantom. At all. Actually, what really hurt was seeing Fenton on the ground with that creep. They looked like they were taking a nap together, which, gross. Vlad Masters gave Phantom pedo vibes up and down. Even if the man were dead he didn't want his carcass touching his-

Touching Fenton.

"You're a foolhardy boy, you know," The clones said. They'd begun slowly merging together, but they still had five mouths. "What did you think you'd accomplish with that little stunt?"

Phantom might have answered, but he was too busy staring at the way the clones melted into each other. They'd started at their arms, linking them together into these weird connected ropes. Their hands disappeared and their arms shortened between them, bringing their torsos together as the circle shrunk. Then the arms were gone and they were all torsos, half connected like some freaky twins. All shoulders and five heads.

"It's rude to stare," the ghost heads said.

"Sorry," Phantom said. "Uh, is this normal for you?"

They glared at Phantom. "_No _as a matter of fact!" The heads had finally reached each other and his voice wobbled as the heads swallowed each other up. "Y-you scatt-t-t-t-ered my-y-y ecto-o-o-oplasm-m!"

"Is that what I did?" Phantom said. "_So _sorry about that. Won't happen again." He mimed taking notes. "Yanking at core... bad. Scatters… Ectoplasm…" He pretended to click a pen. "There. Won't happen again."

"Insolent brat," the ghost said. He was in one piece now. "I should drag you into the ghost zone. Throw you in a frozen wasteland."

Phantom gasped. "And then just leave me for dead? Er, for undead? Cruel."

The ghost actually _pouted. _"Hardy har har, you're very funny," he sighed. "Are all teenagers like this? Is there no off button?"

"Afraid not."

Below them, Fenton groaned. Phantom glanced down for just a_ split second _but that was all the time the creepy vampire needed to pounce. He sprang forward and grabbed Phantom by the back of his hazmat suit, lifting him like a baby kitten, and dragged him intangibly through a wall.

Through several walls. Phantom couldn't tell if they were flying up or down. He didn't know how fast they were going, but the world was a blur of colors around them.

He knew it was faster than he'd ever flown before.

Kicking, punching, screaming, Phantom struggled. At first he had fired ecto blasts in all directions, but then he heard a woman scream and stopped. There was a crowd of people in this mansion, he remembered. Innocent humans. Had he hurt someone?

Fenton would never forgive him.

oOo

"Calm down," Mr. Vampire hissed. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"No? So you're just going to imprison me in this ominously glowing cube for the rest of eternity?" Phantom said. "Just torture me, this is boring."

The cube was black and green. It looked like it had been made out of a hundred computer circuit boards pieced together like legos. Phantom's entire body was locked inside, with just his head sticking out at the top.

"For the rest of eternity," the ghost echoed. "So dramatic."

"Well excuse me mister devil horns haircut, cloak and dagger high collar cape, vampire wannabe… uh… _poser_," Phantom spat with as much attitude as he could muster. "You lock me up in an evil laboratory and, oh I know, next you'll pop out some more clones and all take turns maniacally laughing. But oh no _I'm _the dramatic one!"

The ghost rolled his eyes. "Are you done?"

Phantom opened his mouth. Paused, his brows furrowing. Opened his mouth again, but then sighed. "Yeah, I'm all out."

"Good," the ghost said. "Now, I'm tired of this 'mister vampire' nonsense. From now on you will address me as-" he paused to straighten his spine, sweeping his cape out behind him. It drifted on a celestial breeze. "Vlad Plasmius."

Neither of them spoke for a beat. Phantom tried to hold his non-existent breath, puffing his cheeks out like a chipmunk. Then he burst into giggles.

That was it. Giggles. Childish little ones. The type that come with an excessive bout of tickling, the kind Fenton allowed to leak out- just a bit- while he was chatting up Masters.

As if remembering that encounter, Plasmius smiled. It was not the reaction Phantom had been expecting. His giggling choked off abruptly. He cleared his throat.

Plasmius nodded. "Alright," he said. "Let's have it."

"What?"

"Your name. I know you have one." The older ghost drifted closer to Phantom's head and crossed his legs. Floating indian style. He crossed his arms too and looked like one of those hippy buddhists trying to levitate.

Phantom hesitated.

"Or should I just call you Daniel?"

"No!" Again, Phantom cleared his throat. "No, I'm not. There isn't-"

"A connection between you two?" Plasmius chuckled. "I'm not blind, son."

"Don't call me that either," Phantom said. "Just. It's Phantom."

"Just Phantom?" the ghost said. He grinned, his canines glinting in the harsh red lights lining the ceiling.

Odd choice for a laboratory, now that Phantom thought about it. It was bright enough that he could see all the equipment clearly, which all looked about as sinister as anything that could be found at Fenton Works, but the red lighting really emphasized the _evil laboratory_ vibe.

It was overkill, really.

Plasmius straightened up again and circled the cube. As if to thoroughly examine him. But all he could examine was Phantom's head, so what was the point?

"Born on the day of young Daniel Fenton's accident?"

Phantom sputtered. "I'm a _ghost. _I wasn't _born_-"

"You're not a normal ghost," Plasmius said. "Neither am I. Most ghosts are created when their bodies die. But _we_," He reached out to ruffle Phantom's hair. "_We _retained our bodies."

"What?" Phantom said. He thought about trying to bite Plasmius, but his hand was out of reach. "That's not how it works. It's not possible."

"Yet here we are," Plasmius said. "And there they lay, on the kitchen floor five stories above us. Unconscious, but breathing. The blood continues to coarse through our veins, even without us."

"Fenton isn't just a _body_," Phantom said. "He's-"

"Autonomy," Plasmius said. "Is a remarkable thing." He held an arm out and one of his clones slid out from his body. It happened more smoothly than their merging. If Phantom had blinked he would have missed it.

"The ability to act independently," The clone continued. "To see from your own perspective without interference."

The original Plasmius clapped. "Did I tell you to say that?" He addressed the clone.

"No sir," the clone said. "I took it upon myself to follow your train of thought."

"Well done," he said. "What might I have said next?"

"You have a theory about these two," the clone said. "Their separation is more…"

"Severe," Plasmius supplied. "Yes, it is more severe than ours."

"The tether of his soul has been cut out of the body," the clone said. "Nearly..."

The clone hesitated. He stared at Phantom then directed his gaze at the ceiling. Could they tell where Fenton was from here? Was that possible for a powerful ghost?

"Almost a clean cut," Plasmius said. "And when you've been separated from your clone for long enough…"

"Okay, cut it out," Phantom said. "You made your point. I think? Wait, what is your point?"

The two ghosts looked at each other and Phantom blinked. Which one was the clone again? He couldn't tell. God, this was tiresome.

"You're a clone," They said, together.

"What?!" Phantom shook his head. He felt the cube shift, just a bit, and his eyes lit up. This thing was light. He leaned his head back, as if to look at the ceiling. He made a show of groaning. "Nooooo," he said. "No, I'm not."

He brought his head forward, sharply. The cube tipped forward. It landed on its side and Phantom was left to stare at the floor. He groaned for real this time.

"Foolish child," Plasmius said. He picked the cube up and set it back down so Phantom's head was sticking out of the top again. "There is no use denying it."

"If I'm a clone then what are you?" Phantom said.

Plasmius sighed. Well, one of them did. Then he lifted his arm with the same gesture he'd made to clone himself. His clone frowned at it, like a kid unwilling to accept that it was bedtime. But Plasmius waved his hand impatiently and the clone returned to him. He phased into his body and was gone.

He was… Dead? Phantom shuddered.

"When I leave my body it falls unconscious," Plasmius said. "It breaths, but it cannot act on its own. If I'm gone for too long it would need to be hospitalized. In theory it could survive on IV fluids and nutrients. Much like a coma patient. Just waiting to wake up."

"So you aren't possessing Vlad Masters," Phantom said. "You _are _Masters."

Plasmius grinned. "Give the boy a prize." He grabbed something from his cape, or pocket or something. Phantom couldn't really tell exactly where it came from. Could ghosts have pockets if they wanted to? He wondered if he could will pockets into materializing on his hazmat suit. Before he could dwell on the thought Plasmius shoved the device under his nose.

It was a little green remote with one button. Plasmius pressed it.

The cube encasing him retracted, shrinking itself down to the size of a paperweight, sitting innocently by Phantom's foot.

He kicked it away. "Um," He put his fists up in what he hoped was a nice and threatening defensive fighting stance. "On guard?"

"It's _en garde_," Plasmius said. "But that's for fencing." He grabbed Phantom's fists, one in each hand, and paused. They both stood there like that, with their feet actually planted on the ground, Phantom's fists held tenderly in Plasmius's hands, for what felt like ages.

Actually it was probably two seconds. "Ew, could you not?"

Plasmius let him go. He chuckled. "Teenagers," he said. "I've never been in the same room with any. For any length of time."

"Weren't you locked in a building with at least a hundred of them for approximately four years?" Phantom grinned in spite of himself. "It's this weird mandatory torture, a right of passage in this country apparently."

"Ah yes," Plasmius tapped his chin, appearing to think about it. "I must have blocked that out."

Phantom almost laughed, but he caught himself, slamming a hand over his mouth to stifle the sound. "Ah!" he said. "What are you trying to do man? What's your game?"

"There is no game," Plasmius said. "You're free to shoot me in the face. Or flee the mansion. You may stick around and shadow your human counterpart, as you have been-"

"He's not my-"

"I'll allow you to keep an eye on him invisibly without alerting your _ghost hunting_ parents," his voice seemed to change. Now he sounded like Masters. It hit Phantom for the first time that this was really him. He was just... Vlad. This was Vlad Masters. But maybe his voice didn't change.

It had always been the same voice, hadn't it?

"_Or_," Vlad paused. Phantom blinked.

"Or?" he said.

"Or when the Fentons leave you could stay here," Vlad said. "With me."


	4. Chapter 4

Danny woke up with Vlad Masters sprawled half on top of him. Phantom and the ball of pink energy, whatever that was, were long gone.

He decided not to tell his parents what had happened. They didn't think highly of Amity Park's celebrity ghost, so it was better that they didn't know Phantom had followed them to Wisconsin.

Instead he simply alerted them to the fact that Masters had fainted.

Dad carried him to the nearest couch and that might have been the end of it if Harriet Chin hadn't noticed the dent in the fridge.

"You can't just explain everything away with ghosts," Miss Chin was seething. "This is a real problem, Jack! A man is _unconscious_."

"C'mon Harry," Dad said. "Vladdy told me himself the place was haunted."

"Sweetie, did you hit your head?" Mom said. She had noticed a drop of blood on the collar of Danny's shirt and was looking for the injury. He tried not to flinch as she lightly ran her fingers over his scalp. She found the scab. "What happened to you?"

"I just tripped," Danny said. "Uh, I mean! When Mister Masters fainted I tried to catch him. But he was too heavy. So, uh, we both fell."

"Did you land against the fridge?" Miss Chin said.

"What?" Danny said. "N-no!"

She snorted. "Of course not, you'd need to be thrown against it at the speed of a jet to make a dent this huge."

Mom laughed too and wrapped her arms around Danny protectively. "Your bones would be crushed by an impact like that," she said, giving Danny a squeeze.

"It's ghosts!" Dad said. "I can feel it in my bones."

"The dent is shaped oddly," Mom said. "It's humanoid. Look Jack. The torso, the head, the limbs."

"A ghost fight," Dad was bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Two ghosts!"

"When did the fridge become this way?" Chin was looking at Danny. "Was it already damaged when you came into the kitchen?"

"Um," Danny said. Now all three of them were looking at him. "I don't know?"

"You don't know?" Mom echoed. "What happened while you were here?"

"Masters fainted," Danny said.

"Was the fridge dented before he fainted?" Chin said.

"Um, no," Danny said. "Uh, I left to get you guys. And came back. It was like that when we got back."

"Are you sure? Did you look at the fridge before you left?" Mom turned Danny around to face her, hands on his shoulders. "Danny this is important."

"I don't know," Danny said. He wasn't sure if it would be better or worse for Phantom, should they catch him later, for the damage to the fridge to be connected to Vlad Masters fainting spell. Would they think Phantom had attacked Masters if the fridge were dented before he fainted? "My memory is fuzzy?"

The color drained from Mom's face and Danny winced. He shouldn't have said that.

"Sweetie," she tried to smile calmly, but her eyebrows twitched. "I want you to tell me everything you remember from today. And yesterday. Actually, this is a good time for a Reflection don't you think?"

Danny groaned. He hated Reflections.

He'd told Vlad Masters that there had been no side effects to his accident with the ghost portal, but that wasn't strictly true. Physically he'd been fine. No ecto-acne, no radiation poisoning, no weird glowing of any kind. But there was _one _side effect.

Amnesia.

"Mom, we don't have time for that right now," Danny said. "We should help Mister-"

"Listen to your mother," Dad said. From the tone of his voice Danny knew he was trapped. It had lost its peppy enthusiasm from earlier. At the word "_memory_"both his parents had sobered and his dad's voice was subdued. "You can go upstairs to a guest room with her, eh, Danno?"

He squared his shoulders and straightened his spine, punching his own chest like a gorilla as he regained his good cheer, "I'll stay here and take care of Vladdy. And find those ghosts!"

"But-"

"No buts young man," Mom said. "C'mon."

Shoulders slumped, Danny followed his mother out of the room.

oOo

They had finished the Reflection by the time Jazz found them.

"What the hell is going on?!" she said. She was panting and her hair band was missing. "Are you guys looking for that stupid dairy king ghost? Can you not?"

"What's gotten into you?" Mom said. "I thought you were enjoying the home theater."

"I was until I almost got shot in the face by one of your stupid ray guns!" Jazz said.

Mom walked over to Jazz and tried to brush her hair out of her face, but Jazz waved her off. "We didn't fire any weapons," Mom said. "At least not, wait, when did this happen?"

Relieved to finally have her attention off of him, Danny announced, "I need to pee!" and made for the door. He half expected his mother to stop him, or to follow him, but she didn't. She nodded at him and turned back to Jazz, who was ranting about a traumatic experience.

Danny needed to find Phantom. Jazz had seen a blast and it didn't matter if it had been one of Dad's weapons or one of Phantom's ecto-blasts. Either way it meant the ghost was in danger. Phantom had pointed out to Danny, on several occasions, that he was no good in a fight. But he'd been studying his parents inventions for weeks now. He was determined to make himself useful.

He hadn't tested it out yet, but if the Fenton Thermos worked the way it was meant to he could catch that powerful ghost that was fighting with Phantom.

But he'd need to find Phantom first. An arduous task considering the size of the mansion. Danny felt like a Scooby Doo character as he ran through the hallways, taking a peek into each room.

It occurred to him that this was the first time he'd sought the ghost boy out himself. Not that he didn't enjoy Phantom's company, but the dude was like a lonely puppy. Always around the corner, tail wagging.

Interrupting homework, disrupting dinner by setting off ghost sensors, catching Danny half naked while he got dressing for school… not that it mattered. Focus Fenton, he thought.

He was on the third floor when he ran into Vlad Masters.

"There you are Daniel," he said. "You gave me quite a scare."

"What ME? But you," Danny paused. Was he actually talking to the real Vlad Masters or the ghost? "But. You. Fainted. And stuff."

"Ah, low blood sugar," Masters said. "I'm a bit anemic, you know."

Masters put an arm around Danny's shoulder and steered him away from the room he'd been loitering in.

"Take a walk with me, son. We have much to discuss."

"We do?" Danny shrugged the arm off his shoulder, but followed the older man down the hall.

"I was telling you about the accident," he said. "Before we were so rudely interrupted by your little parasite."

That stopped Danny in his tracks. "Parasite?" He reached for the Fenton Thermos on his belt. "Wait. Are you," he hesitated, but the way the older man grinned at him made him think there would be no point in playing dumb.

"You're a ghost," Danny said.

"No," Masters said. "I'm like you."

"What?"

"Both victims of the same invention," he said. "That blasted ghost portal. For me it was just the prototype, but the result was the same."

He led them to an elevator. Danny didn't want to go inside, but the older man grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him in.

"Both haunted," Masters continued. "By warped reflections that were born on the day of the accident."

Danny gulped. "H-haunted?"

"Don't be coy," Masters said. The elevator doors opened to reveal a lab much like the one his parents had set up in their basement at home.

But this one was larger, the equipment didn't look as if it had been assembled from spare parts scrounged from a junkyard, and everything was lit up under a strobe of red lights on the ceiling.

"I've learned all I could about your parents inventions," Masters said. "Every patent they've filed, I've paid for my own versions. For my own protection, you see."

"You're afraid of ghosts," Danny said.

"I'm afraid of losing myself."

The man strode forward, making a beeline for a cabinet in a far corner of the room. Danny stayed by the elevator.

He wanted to leave.

"I have several of these," Masters said, returning with what looked like a really thick metal belt. "You should take one."

"What is it?" Danny said. It was cold, but lighter than it looked. The red plating gave it a sleek look. He could imagine someone wearing this with a leather jacket and a motorcycle helmet.

"Protection," Masters said. "Consider it a gift."

And with that he led Danny back into the elevator.

"Mister Masters…"

"Please, call me Vlad."

"Um, okay," Danny stared at their shoes. Vlad wore an expensive pair of loafers. He noticed there was a hole in one of his tennis shoes. "Vlad. Did you ever tell anyone? That you were haunted?"

"I tried, once," Vlad said. "But it was futile."

"Why?"

The elevator doors opened and they stepped out. Vlad strode ahead once again with his hands clasped behind his back. He took large steps, so that Danny nearly had to jog to keep up.

Then he abruptly stopped and spun around.

"This is no average haunting, my boy," he said. "It cannot be solved with a simple invention, a simple weapon. In fact, I fear, to destroy or exorcise the ghost would be…"

He grimaced and blinked rapidly, as if holding back tears. He cleared his throat. "Our souls are intertwined. I might kill myself in the process."

"Your parents would never believe that," Vlad continued. "Your mother especially. For all her paranormal interests she is still, first and foremost, a woman of science."

"But how do you know you would die?" Danny said. "What makes you think-"

"Would you really want to take a risk like that?" Vlad said. "Gamble your life away just to be sure? No."

They had almost reached the ballroom. It felt surreal, to just return to the reunion as if nothing had happened. The music was still playing and Danny could hear people talking and… screaming?

"All I can say is, be wary of your counterpart Daniel," Vlad said quickly. "Do not be seduced."

Danny walked ahead without him just in time to see his dad drive the Fenton RV through a wall.


	5. Chapter 5

This man was a total wack job.

After Phantom told him, point blank, that he did not want to live in his creepy mansion or act as a surrogate ghost son to any capacity he'd pretty much flipped his shit.

He'd started ranting about how he'd make a better father than Jack Fenton ever could and then proceeded to try and prove his point by possessing the man and wrecking the reunion.

Or he was just bitter and wanted to make Dad look bad. Phantom gave up trying to follow Vlad's train of thought and flew after him.

It was easier to pull him out of his dad than it had been to grab his core from, well, Vlad's actual body. Further proving Vlad's point that he really was attached to his human self.

What a lucky loon, Phantom thought.

"Good luck," Vlad said with a smirk, immediately disappearing as Dad came to his senses and grinned up at them.

"Ghost boy!" Dad said. "Oh boy, I'm going to catch you this time!"

Great.

oOo

Invisibility didn't help. There was some kind of ghost honing device in the Fenton RV, allowing Dad to follow him no matter where he flew. Phantom thought he'd at least lose him if he phased into the building, but Dad- Jack, Phantom should call him Jack- just drove through a wall to chase after him.

He couldn't properly aim at Phantom because of the invisibility, but he got one lucky shot in. It wasn't the kind of blast Phantom was expecting. Instead he ended up coated in this weird green slime, like something out of a Nickelodeon special, which was impossible to remove.

Mom took advantage of the target it painted on him and fired away. Phantom decided at that point it would be better to retreat, but the goop prevented him from phasing through walls. He was trapped.

While was looking for an open window, debating whether or not he should just break one- it's not like he'd get injured right?- he noticed Fenton. The boy was trying to shove through the crowd of people running for the exits. It looked like he was trying to reach their parents. Trailing after him was Vlad, human Vlad. That pompous fruitloop!

The man put his hands on Fenton's shoulders when he was within reach, pulling him back towards the exit.

If it were anyone else Phantom would have been grateful. Fenton should get out of the way. He always ran in the wrong direction. If it were anyone else Phantom would not have pulled such a stupid stunt.

But now Fenton was in his arms and all Phantom could do was hug him close and try to shield him from the glass as Jack and Maddie Fenton screamed after them.

oOo

He deposited Fenton on the roof. The mansion rooftop was an uncomfortable assortment of sharply sloping spires, but Phantom managed to find a flat surface where they could gather their bearings.

Initially he'd been reluctant to let go of the boy, but then he'd remembered the window he'd broken and put distance between them so he could check Fenton for injuries.

First he checked Fenton's head, running his hands through his hair carefully. He didn't find any glass, but there was a bump on the back of his head. There was blood on his shirt.

Alarmed, Phantom lifted his shirt to see if there would be more blood. There wasn't, but there was a bruise on Fenton's shoulder. The boy shivered and tugged his shirt back down. It reminded Phantom that he was so much colder than the human. Perhaps…

He placed his hand on Fenton's shoulder, hoping that he could act as an ice pack for the bruise, even through the shirt. But no, he probably wasn't cold enough.

Then Phantom glanced at Fenton's legs, but the boy followed his gaze and backed away from him. The way he walked, backwards and without looking, alarmed Phantom further. His human might just topple off the roof if he wasn't careful. So Phantom hovered after him with his arms raised. But he did not directly touch Fenton again.

He didn't like the way Fenton was looking at him. It was almost as if he was _afraid._

Phantom lowered his hands. Fenton was up against a wall now, nowhere near the edge of the roof. The human was standing with his hands fisted at his sides, back straight and stiff, biting his lip and just… silently regarding Phantom. Waiting for something.

"I'm sorry I left you there," Phantom said. "As soon as I saw you on the ground I wanted to go to you. I wanted to, but I didn't want him to notice you. I thought I should keep his attention. So I just stayed in place like an idiot, running my mouth. I was… scared."

He was looking at Fenton's fists as he spoke. The fingers slowly uncurled and the human leaned against the wall and lowered himself to the ground. He exhaled slowly and Phantom saw a tear caught on his eyelashes.

Phantom lowered himself to Fenton's level, sitting on his knees, bent forward. He was tempted to bow, to grovel, anything to fix this. Fenton kept an eye on him as Phantom approached, retracting his legs so that they were out of reach. He hugged his knees to his chest.

"It's no excuse," Phantom said. "I should have-"

"What am I?" Fenton said. Now his eyes were on his knees.

"What?" Phantom sat back.

"Am I like a pet?" Fenton said. He scrubbed at his eyes. "Your human pet?"

"What?" Phantom repeated, stupidly. "N-no! You're just… You're you."

"Then why are you haunting me?" Fenton said.

Phantom stared at him. It was the first time Fenton had acknowledged their relationship for what it was. Phantom recalled what Vlad had called him. His human counterpart.

He couldn't say that. He didn't want Fenton to know. But he had no other explanation.

"Why did you kidnap me?" Fenton said. He was curling in on himself, his head resting against his knees, which were still tucked against his chest. His arms tightened around them.

"K-kidnap?" Phantom echoed. Stupid. He was stupid. "I didn't mean- I wasn't. Uh."

"You just carried me off," Fenton said. "Like I was your property!"

"I had to get you away from Vlad!" Phantom said. "He had his hands on you. He was-"

"That's no excuse," Fenton said. "You can't just pick me up like that. Ever."

"He's dangerous," Phantom said. "You don't understand what he is."

"I don't understand what _you _are," Fenton said. "Maybe you're dangerous."

Phantom put his hands on the ground between them, palm down. Then he brought his head down over them, bowing low to the ground like he'd seen in anime.

"I'm sorry," he said. He was mumbling into his arms and he worried Fenton couldn't hear him, so he raised his voice a little. "I swear, I would never hurt you."

"I'm sorry too," Fenton said.

There was a flash of blue light. A vortex. A black hole? Phantom felt himself melting away. He couldn't see. He couldn't. Move. Or even lie still and just feel his own existence.

He no longer existed.

oOo

It was like being stuck in the car without music. It was like finishing a test early and your teacher won't let you leave or work on something else. Won't even let you read a book.

So you're sitting at your desk alone with your thoughts.

But at least you can doodle on your eraser, or pick off eraser crumbs and make a pile. At least you can fiddle with your hands or stick your arms inside your shirt. At least you have a body and things to look at.

Phantom wondered if this was what death was supposed to feel like.

Emptiness. Darkness.

But then why wouldn't his thoughts turn off?

He was stuck with them. They were all he had. So he thought and he wondered if Fenton was still on the roof. Had Vlad come up from behind him and zapped him with something? Had he taken Fenton and asked him to give up his life in Amity Park?

Or maybe his parents had come for him. He wanted to believe that they were all in the Fenton RV right now, ready to put Wisconsin behind them. They'd go home without Phantom flying after them this time. Fenton would be relieved, maybe.

If he had lungs Phantom would have hyperventilated. This was worse than being stuffed in a locker and left to rot for hours. This was worse than getting his hair stuck in dad's weird Fenton vacuum cleaner.

It was worse than any bad experience he could dredge up. Yet as he swam through all the bad memories he was relieved that they were all still there. It meant he wasn't _gone. _Not yet.

oOo

When his body was returned to him Phantom curled up into a ball and closed his eyes. The light was blinding and he had an irrational fear that his limbs might scatter to the wind if he didn't grab them tightly. There were sounds, now, but his thoughts were louder. He couldn't make them out. Then there was warmth. It felt pleasant for a second. Then stifling.

"Too hot," Phantom gasped. "Too bright."

The warmth left him and he heard someone swear. A lightswitch clicked off.

Phantom opened his eyes and was greeted by the glow-in-the-dark stickers on his bedroom ceiling. A crescent moon, the big dipper. He sighed and felt himself relax.

He didn't realize he'd been slowly floating upward until he almost knocked his head against the ceiling fan.

"Phantom?" someone said. No, it was a special voice. It was his own.

"F-Fenton," he spun himself around too quickly and his momentum somehow carried him into the closet. The door was open, thankfully, because he didn't bother to make himself intangible.

He jostled the clothes that were hung there and then landed on the ground, blanketed by them. Phantom inhaled the familiar scent of his mother's favorite laundry detergent. He smiled and nuzzled into his impromptu nest. He'd be content to take a nap here if sleep were possible.

"Dude, you're freaking me out," Fenton said. "Are you high or something?"

It looked like the human was using the closet door as a shield. The top of his head poked out, just enough for him to peek in on Phantom. It was adorable.

Phantom giggled. "I'm high on the five senses," he said. "I missed them."

"Oh," Fenton said. "Right. Sorry. Uh, wh-what was it like in there?"

"It was like being stuffed in a locker," Phantom said. "But… Actually, no. It was nothing like that. Because in a locker you can feel your legs cramp up. You can feel yourself get sticky with sweat and you can wriggle around and bang your head against the door. You can shout yourself hoarse, you can chew on your shirt, you can-"

"Okay!" Fenton said. "I've got the visual, thank you."

"What was that place?" Phantom said. He hugged the pile of clothes to his chest. A hanger nearly poked his eye out. "I've never… What happened?"

Fenton sighed. He opened the closet door all the way, maybe realizing it was a useless shield against a ghost, and sat on the floor with his legs crossed in front of him. He unbuckled his belt and Phantom zeroed in on the movement. What was he…?

"This," Fenton said. "My dad just calls it the Fenton Thermos."

It looked like a regular old soup thermos. It was gray with green trim at the bottom and below the lid. But when Phantom squinted at it he could see an underlying pattern of… circuits. The pattern was similar to the one on the box Vlad had used to imprison him.

Phantom gulped. "Your parents caught me with that?"

"No, I did."

There was a beat of silence as the two regarded each other. Then Phantom stood. He dropped the clothes and made to step out of the closet.

Fenton flinched, but remained seated. Phantom paused.

"You're afraid of me," he said. "I messed up and now you're afraid of me."

Fenton peeked up at Phantom through his bangs. Again a beat passed in silence. Phantom didn't realize he'd reacted by activating his invisibility until Fenton stood back up and glanced around the room in alarm. "Phantom?!"

"I'm still here," Phantom said.

"Why are you invisible?"

"It was an accident," Phantom said. Still, he made no move to correct the mistake. He liked the way Fenton lifted his hands and searched for him. He found Phantom easily. Standing exactly where he had been.

Fenton poked him in the stomach first. Then he found Phantom's arm and followed it up to his shoulder. "You're just going to stay invisible?"

"Probably." It pleased Phantom. This role reversal. He stood still and enjoyed the warmth of Fenton's hands. Fenton let go of him and he wanted to grab his hand. To put it back on his shoulder. Or on his head. He wanted Fenton to pat him or something. Anything.

If anyone was a pet here it was Phantom. A ghost pet, just for him.

"I'm not afraid of you," Fenton said. "Not when you're… Like this."

"Invisible?"

"No, when you're… Normal. When you're nice. Calm." Fenton walked away and Phantom floated after him. He sat at his desk and put his head in his hands. "I thought you'd be pissed at me for using the thermos on you."

Phantom said nothing.

"Are you still here?" Fenton said. He tugged at the hairs on the nape of his neck and Phantom mirrored the movement unconsciously. "Please, Phantom. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too," Phantom said.

Then he flew away.


	6. Chapter 6

At first she thought it was stupid that her mom wanted to buy her a dress for the dance. She assumed it would be a horrific thing, pink and frilly, and that she'd have to douse it in black paint. Then hope the material didn't stiffen.

Not that Sam wanted to go the dance in the first place. What was a school dance anyway, but a strange ritual designed to pit teenagers against each other? Comparing clothes, comparing dates, and scrutinizing each other as they shook their butts around like monkeys looking for a mate. No thank you.

But her mom found a store online that was Sam's style. She scrolled through the website and was charmed by the selection. Not everything was black, but it all had this cool Victorian vibe. At least that's what she thought at first, but then she kept looking and realized the dresses were a hodgepodge of different time periods.

Some of the dresses looked like they belonged on a doll at a tea party. Sam understood where her mother had found the appeal. Yet there were options for punk or goth dresses that looked badass. It was a Japanese style, the website said, called Gothic Lolita.

When Sam pointed at her favorite dress, a massive bundle of black and purple silk laid over a hoop skirt the size of a small bus, she expected her mom to say no.

Her mom surprised her though. She said she was just happy to see her Sammykins finally take an interest in something _feminine. _

"You'll look wonderful!" she said, clapping her hands. "Now all you need is a date."

At lunch the next day Sam was still fuming over the assumption that she needed a date to have a good time at a school dance. How sexist! How archaic!

Tucker was telling them about the list of girls he was asking while they grabbed their lunch trays. As they headed towards their table Danny was laughing at Tucker's impression of his latest rejection, looking back towards him to say something.

He didn't notice Paulina standing in his path until it was too late.

"Excuse me," he told her. "Sorry, I didn't see you." He'd managed to save his tray from falling, but he dropped his applesauce. It landed on her foot, the lid ajar.

"Ew!" she shrieked. "These are my favorite shoes!" she whined. Sam rolled her eyes.

What a drama queen.

Danny handed his tray to Tucker. "Sorry," he said with a shrug. "Let me get that."

Sam blinked as, in one smooth motion, Danny knelt and picked up the cup. He used his hand to scoop as much of the sauce off Paulina's shoe as he could. Then he wiped the residue off with the edge of his shirt and shrugged again. "Best I can do."

Paulina stared at him, flabbergasted. Sam was equally baffled. Since when had Danny ever been able to deal with the cheerleader in such a nonchalant way?

Danny stood and took his tray back from Tucker, who was staring at him with his mouth hanging open. If Danny noticed the reaction, he didn't say anything. He just walked off towards their usual table. Sam and Tucker exchanged a _what the hell _look and then followed after him.

As soon as they sat down Tucker clapped Danny on the back. "Dude! You're my hero!"

"What?" Danny was frowning at his soiled applesauce. "Why."

Tucker sputtered. "You just- you just," he turned to Sam. "Tell him what he did!"

She sighed. "You talked to Paulina Sanchez as if she weren't _Paulina. Sanchez."_ Sam could tell by the look on his face that the name meant nothing to him and she felt her throat tighten. She tried to swallow the feeling. Baring her teeth in what was meant to be a casual smirk, but what was probably a manic grin, Sam chuckled.

It was ironic. A year ago she would have killed to see something like this. But now…

It only reminded her of what had been lost.

"I mean you've only been in love with her since the sixth grade," Tucker said. "I've never seen you talk to her without stuttering or tripping over yourself! But now you just, you just-"

Danny was tugging at the hairs at the base of his neck, eyes still on his applesauce. Sam knew this meant he was uncomfortable. Or she thought it did. It used to. What did it mean now? She couldn't be sure of anything anymore.

"Anyway, congratulations dude," Tucker said. If he picked up on their discomfort he didn't show it. "That was so cool. I bet she'll be impressed at your confidence. Hey, maybe you could even ask her to the dance. Danny, you have to ask her. I dare you."

"Confidence," Danny echoed. "Is that what that was?"

She didn't like seeing this look on his face. He looked frustrated. Lost. He was biting the skin off of his bottom lip and staring at his food with no clear intention of eating. She watched the scabs on his lip, which had just healed, begin to bleed again and wanted to say something.

Before she could think of anything Dash had slammed his own lunch tray onto the table. She jumped, startled, and Danny almost fell out of his seat.

"Who do you think you are Fentina? Assaulting girls with applesauce?" Dash said. He stood with one foot propped up on the bench beside Danny, his knee bent, his elbow leaning against it. He was tilted toward Danny, smirking. "You know I can't let you get away with that."

Danny rolled his eyes. "As if you need an excuse to come harass me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dash said. He leaned further into Danny's space.

"Jesus Dash," Sam began. She started unbuckling the straps from one of her boots. They were heavy enough to bruise and the threat usually kept Dash from getting physical.

"It means you're obsessed with me," Danny said. "Why don't you get a life?"

Sam paused with her boot in her hands. Dash too, could only stare at Danny in silence. Tucker, on the other hand, was laughing hysterically. He gave Danny a high five.

"What," Dash said. "Your parents get a little credit for some cool gadgets and suddenly you think you're the big man on campus? You're still a bunch of _freaks _you know that?"

"Do you rock yourself to sleep with a collection of my pictures cut out of yearbooks?" Danny said. "Or do you photograph me yourself after sticking your leg out to trip me in class?"

Dash sputtered, his face slowly turning red. Sam was impressed despite herself.

"Is there a reason you like to see me sprawled on the ground, Dash?" Danny continued. "That what gets you going?"

Tucker wasn't laughing anymore. He was staring between Dash and Danny, eyes wide with his napkin in his mouth. Sam held her breath, her boot still ready to be thrown.

"Not as much as I'd like to see you strung up on a flagpole by your underwear," Dash said quietly. He reached forward and Danny stood up, out of reach. "Bet you're scared now-"

Danny pulled something from his belt. A little green box. "Not so fast," he said. "You wouldn't want me to activate one of my parents cool gadgets, now would you?"

Dash scoffed. "I'm so sure yo-"

Danny pressed a button. The little box squirted out a jet of green goop all over Dash's face. Students from other lunch table's were watching them now. They started laughing.

"Fenton! Wh-what is this?!" Dash tried wiping his face off with the sleeve of his jacket, to little effect. He groaned in frustration. "You're going to regret that," he said. Then he stomped away. Presumably to wash his face in a bathroom somewhere.

Danny sat back down and picked up his burger. Sam stared at him as he started eating with his eyes down. "What the hell was that," she said. "What is wrong with you?"

Danny shrugged.

Tucker spat the napkin out of his mouth. "Holy shit, that was… that was..."

"It was wrong," Sam said. "How could you use a ghost weapon on someone?"

"Aw c'mon," Tucker said. "It's Dash, he deserved it."

"Yeah," Danny mumbled around a mouth full of burger. "Deserved it."

"Isn't that stuff radioactive?" Sam said. She was tempted to throw her boot at his thick skull, but she took a deep breath and put it back on her foot instead.

"It's harmless," Danny said. "My dad gets covered in the stuff all the time."

"But it's not like you to just-"

"There you go again," Danny said. He put his burger down. "I think I've lost my appetite."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam said. She swung her legs back and forth under the table and bunched her skirt into her fists. Wanting to control herself, but also wanting to kick him.

"You're always telling me how you think I should be," Danny said. For the first time in a while blue eyes stared directly at her. "How I'm somehow failing at being _myself._"

The words were a slap in the face. She opened her mouth to retaliate, but nothing came out. She stopped swinging her legs and nearly ripped the seam in her skirt with her grip.

Danny stood up with his tray. "Lost my appetite," he said. "I'll see you guys later."

She could only watch helplessly as he walked away. When he was gone she shoved her own lunch tray away and slammed her head down on the table.

"You want to explain what I'm missing here?" Tucker said. "Cause I'm lost."

Sam groaned. "Ever since the accident-"

"Wait, I take it back. I'm not lost," Tucker said. "You are."

She lifted her head. "What?"

"You need to let it go, Sam." Tucker was ignoring his food too.

Tucker never ignored his food. She straightened. "It's not as simple as that."

"Isn't it? He's got his memories back. He's fine." Tucker removed his glasses and cleaned them against his shirt. "There's something else going on."

"First of all, he's lying when he says he remembers squat," Sam said. "But what else could be going on?"

"He's been grouchy ever since he went to Wisconsin with his folks," Tucker said. "I asked him about it, but he just blew me off."

"Since Wisconsin?" Sam said. She took a tentative bite of her salad. It was soggy. "I haven't noticed him being grouchy." Not strictly true. Danny seemed like he was _always _a little testy. Ever since the accident. Their friendship wasn't the same.

"Well, he's always kind of grouchy around _you_," Tucker said. "So I guess to you it was the same difference."

That stung. "Fuck you."

"I'm sorry, but you need to stop analyzing every little thing he does," Tucker said. "That's what drives him crazy."

"Did he tell you that?"

"He didn't have to." Having said his peace Tucker finally dug into his meal. Sam stared at him in disgust and poked at the sorry mess that had become of her salad.

When he finished eating Tucker looked apologetic. "Sam, it's going to be okay."

"No it's not," she said. She didn't want to be comforted. She wanted to sulk.

"It doesn't matter what he remembers or doesn't remember. He's still the same person."

You're wrong, she thought. That boy was not the real Danny Fenton. She'd killed him.

And she could never make it right.


	7. Chapter 7

Paulina Sanchez was definitely pretty. Her hair was long and thick. It had a slight wave to it. Her skin was lovely and tan and, well, her jeans hugged her in all the great places. Her shirt too.

He hadn't noticed her before because they didn't share any classes. She was just another pretty face in the crowd. But now Danny found himself looking for her in the hallways.

She was a cheerleader. Maybe that's another reason he hadn't noticed her. All her friends were the kind of people he hated. That is to say, they were Dash's crowd.

He couldn't stand anything that reminded him of that dumb jock.

Paulina was someone better left alone, he thought. Yet when he accidentally made eye contact with her, he couldn't help smiling. It was an automatic reaction.

And isn't it just common courtesy to smile? What was he supposed to do?

Her locker was way too close to his.

The school day was over, he was just grabbing the last of his things and he really didn't want to be thinking about her anymore. He shouldn't have looked her way. He shouldn't have smiled.

Paulina seemed to consider it an invitation. She walked over to him and smiled sweetly. She tucked some hair behind her ear.

"That was hilarious at lunch," she said. "Your little slime prank."

"Thanks, I'll be here all week," Danny said. "Actually, I'll be trapped until graduation."

Paulina tilted her head and politely laughed a dainty little confused kind of laugh. "Oh?"

"Nevermind," Danny said. He just wanted to go home. "Have a good weekend."

"It's Thursday," Paulina said. She tucked another strand of hair behind her other ear.

"Really? That's too bad." He started walking backwards towards the door. "Have a great weekend and a great Friday, then."

She giggled, trailing after him. "I'm going in the same direction, dork."

He smacked his forehead and stopped walking. "Yes, of course." He held his arm out towards the exit. "Ladies first. I'll just loiter here for five minutes."

"Or we could walk together?" Paulina said. She was blinking a little quickly now. Was this how girls flirted?

"Nah, I wouldn't want to soil your reputation or anything."

"Puh-lease," Paulina said. She brushed a bit of hair over her shoulder just so she could then flip that hair behind her again. "My reputation will always be flawless."

At a loss, Danny shrugged. "Alright."

So they walked out of the building, shoulder to shoulder. Danny kept an eye out for Dash, but the guy never made an appearance.

He ended up walking Paulina all the way to the parking lot, somehow.

"Hey Danny," she said. "You have a date to the dance yet?"

This could not be happening. "Uh, no."

"Yeah? Me neither!" Paulina clapped her hands and did this weird -but cute- little hop.

"What a remarkable coincidence," Danny said. He tugged at the hairs on the back of his neck. "Actually, I find that very hard to believe. So hard to believe that I, in fact, don't believe it."

"Well okay," Paulina giggled. "A few people _did_ ask me."

"Oh really?"

"And I might have said yes to someone," she said. She nibbled on her bottom lip. Not the way he often did, chomping down and drawing blood.

No, Paulina did it in a cute way that made her lip slightly swollen without breaking skin.

Danny realized she was waiting for a response. "So then who are you going with?"

She waved a hand. "He doesn't matter. I'm going to bail on him. There's someone else I'd rather go with."

She was doing that rapid blinking thing again. It drew his attention to her eyelashes, which were really long. Danny wondered if they were real. Girls bought weird stuff like fake eyelashes, he'd heard. And, like, glued them on?

"Who do you want to go with," he said. He thought he knew where she was going with this. But he also wondered if Dash was hiding under the car waiting for him to make a fool out of himself.

She grinned. "You, silly!"

"Uh, why?"

Paulina tapped at her chin as if she were seriously mulling it over. "You just seem so different lately," she said. "You've changed. And I like it."

She winked at him. "I always thought you were a cutie."

"I was a cutie," he echoed.

"Yeah!" Paulina said. "But you didn't know how to be chill."

"And now I do?" Danny realized his hand was still at the back of his neck. He put his arm down.

"Let's find out for sure," she said, patting his cheek. "At the dance! Kay?"

"Kay," he said. Like an idiot.

"Great! Give me your phone." He did so and she typed her number in. "Text me so we can work out the details."

Then she kissed him on the cheek and made shoo-ing motions. "Now go go, or you'll miss your bus."

He resisted the urge to touch the damp spot on his cheek. Instead he turned around and walked away, mindful of his speed and posture as he went.

He missed his bus.

oOo

Sam and Tucker were already online by the time he got home. Freshly annoyed by the lecture from Jazz (who had to drive back to school to bring him home) he really wasn't in the mood for dealing with the new guy.

But they were already grinding away when Danny logged in to Doomed, so there was no helping it.

Not that he had a problem with the new guy. He was cool and all. For a random online friend. A pen pal in Canada, of all places. That Sam had way too much emotional investment in.

She'd met him on one of those websites where she liked to post the poetry he and Tucker were "too dumb to get." At first they had just emailed back and forth or something.

But then she just _had_ to introduce him to Doomed. Now they were all stuck trying to help him level up. They couldn't continue the main quest with a party member below level 50.

Though it might not take too long. Danny checked on **ghosted**'s stats before opening the chat box and saw that he was already at 32. He'd gone up six levels in just a day. Not bad.

**fryertuck: **duuude u late!

**chaos: **Spaz

**ghosted: **hi danny!

**SpaceAce12: **sorry guys

**chaos: **What happened?

**SpaceAce12:** missed the bus

**fryertuck: **he was with paulina!

**ghosted:** what?!

**ghosted:** who? o.o

**chaos:** A bitch

**SpaceAce12:** she's a cheerleader

**fryertuck: **THE HOTTEST ONE

**chaos:** What did she want?

**ghosted:** o.o

**fryertuck:** eeey

**chaos:** -_-

**fryertuck:** EEEY

**ghosted:** •

**fryertuck:** DANNY

**SpaceAce12:** O.o

**chaos:** •

**ghosted:** •

**fryertuck:** we need answers!

**SpaceAce12:** •

**chaos:** C'mon already

**fryertuck:** ANSWERS :o

**SpaceAce12:** alright alright

**SpaceAce12:** togotothedance

**fryertuck:** THE DANCE?!

**chaos:** The dance

**chaos:** With. You

**fryertuck: **You actually asked her?!

**ghosted:** congrats

**SpaceAce12:** no!

**chaos:** She said no?

**fryertuck:** that's okay!

**fryertuck:** points for asking! :D

**fryertuck:** all the respect

**SpaceAce12:** not what I meant -_-

**chaos:** Then what happened?

**SpaceAce12:** SHE

**SpaceAce12:** asked ME

**chaos:** What

**ghosted:** O:

**fryertuck:** WHAT A FREAKING TWIST

**fryertuck**: THE BOY BECOMES A MAN

**chaos:** I don't believe this

**ghosted:** o.o

**SpaceAce12:** it's true!

**fryertuck:** why would he lie sam

**SpaceAce12:** gave me her ## too

**fryertuck:** that's how you know it's real!

**ghosted:** did you text her?

**SpaceAce12:** not yet o.o

**fryertuck:** smart man

**fryertuck:** jus be chiiiill play it cool

**chaos:** She must have a motive

**ghosted:** wow Sam

**fryertuck:** don't be a debbie downer

**SpaceAce12:** -_-

**chaos:** I'm serious! It's suspicious!

**fryertuck:** noooooo

**ghosted:** T.T

**SpaceAce12:** you're an ass

**chaos:** Why do you even care?!

**chaos:** You don't even like her!

**SpaceAce12:** who says I don't?!

**chaos:** the way you acted at lunch!

**fryertuck:** sam he was a BOSS

**SpaceAce12:** that's why!

**SpaceAce12:** she liked it!

**chaos:** What?

**SpaceAce12:** she said I'm chill

**SpaceAce12:** I wasn't before

**ghosted:** guys, help me out

**ghosted:** what happened at lunch?

**chaos: **NO

**ghosted logged out**

**chaos logged out**

**SpaceAce12:** uh

**fryertuck:** what the heck

**SpaceAce12:** did she just

**fryertuck:** tell her boyfriend to log out?

**SpaceAce12:** he's not her bf

**fryertuck:** suuuure he's not

**fryertuck:** you're so innocent my child

**SpaceAce12:** -_-

**SpaceAce12:** should we quest?

**SpaceAce12:** ghosted is gone so

**fryertuck:** without sam?!

**fryertuck:** wanna die?!

**SpaceAce12:** she'll get over it

**fryertuck:** dude she's our tank

**SpaceAce12:** oh

**SpaceAce12:** right we'd die yup

**fryertuck:** eh I should do my homework

**SpaceAce12:** for once

**fryertuck:** right back at ya

**fryertuck logged out**

Danny sighed. He shut the game down and grabbed his algebra textbook. Then he opened the contacts folder on his phone.

Just to look at Paulina's number. Reassure himself that it was really there.

But Tucker was right. He should play it cool. Text her tomorrow.

With that in mind, he did his homework until it was time for dinner.

oOo

When the ghost alarm went off, Danny ignored it. His parents had installed the thing three days ago and day one had been a disaster, of course.

It was overly sensitive, activating as soon as the ghost portal was opened or if someone used anything powered by ectoplasm.

They'd said they would turn the sensitivity down. No one wanted to hear a blaring alarm every five minutes. Thankfully this was the first time he'd heard it today.

Still, Danny figured it was a low level ghost. An animal or something. The alarm stopped beeping and he thought he'd be able to continue his homework in peace.

Until he heard Jazz screaming. "Get away from my room!"

He couldn't resist poking his head into the hallway to peer at the commotion.

"It's a powerful one this time Jazzy-cakes!" Dad said. He was holding one of the trackers. "It's a special one!"

"I don't care," Jazz said. "Go look somewhere else."

"But it was _in there,_ sweetie," Mom said. "The residue is all over the room."

They looked more excited than usual. Dad was swinging his arms and hopping onto his tippy does, then back on his soles, then back on his toes. He continued like that, positively vibrating, just itching to go further into her room.

Mom put a hand on Jazz's shoulder. "Honey, the ghost boy was trying to haunt you. Won't you let us just-"

Jazz spun around and stomped back into her room. She came back out with an armful of books.

"Fine!" she snapped. "I'll be in the kitchen. Studying while I wait for _dinner_."

"Oh, is it that time already?" Mom said. "Jack, I should probably go make something."

When she passed Danny in the hallway, Jazz didn't spare him a glance. Should he feel offended at that?

Instead, he was relieved.

Tentatively, he approached his parents. "Why not order a pizza?"

"Oh, honey," Mom said. "We need to stop eating so much fast food-"

"But this sounds important," Danny said. "The ghost boy was here? That's huge."

"Isn't it?!" Dad said. He started setting up a little workstation on Jazz's bed. Danny didn't recognize the equipment, but it looked like it had been made out of a beaten up microwave. "We haven't seen that sucker since ol' Vladdy's spooky castle."

"It was a mansion, dear." Mom was eyeing the equipment and her watch, looking torn.

"A castle themed mansion!"

"But, uh, how do you know it's the same ghost?" Danny said. He leaned against the doorframe of the room.

"We recognized his ecto-signature," Mom said. "Each ghost has one. It's like a thumb print."

"Cool, cool. So hey why don't I make something?" He tried to look nonchalant, walking slowly backwards towards the stairs with his hands behind his back. "And you guys just... keep doing what you're doing."

"Danny, I don't think that's-" Mom started, but dad interrupted her. "A great idea Dan-o!"

"It'll be something simple," he said, raising his voice since he could no longer see them. "Macaroni, you know? That's easy."

Mom poked her head out of the room. "We ran out of macaroni."

"I'll go buy some real quick," Danny shouted over his shoulder as he jogged down the stairs. "Okay bye!"

And he was out of the house before anyone could say otherwise.

He jogged around the monstrosity known as Fenton Works twice, craning his head, squinting at every window and crevasse.

As if he could spot Phantom just like that. The guy could float right by him invisibly and Danny would never know.

It bothered him that the ghost had been with Jazz. What was he doing in her room? Did she know him the way Danny knew him?

It wasn't possible.

Not like he could ask her either way. If he was wrong it would blow the secret. If he was right, well. He didn't want to be. It had been nice, having Phantom to himself. A secret best friend.

But then he had to go and screw it up. Just in case, he hastily shouted "I'm sorry!" in the general direction of Jazz's bedroom window.

The result was disappointing. His dad opened the window and stuck his head out. "What's up kiddo?"

Scrambling for a response, Danny said the first thing he could think of. "Wh-what kind of macaroni should I buy?"

His dad blinked at him and scratched his head. "Whatever's cheapest?"

He gave his dad two thumbs up and headed for the store, trying to swallow the familiar ache in his throat. It was only a matter of time, after all. Phantom would come back.

Right?


	8. Chapter 8

Sam was pacing. She'd blasted some of her favorite heavy metal music and was just pacing around the room, refusing to look at him or acknowledge the way she'd abruptly logged them out of the game.

He could just leave. Heck, if he really wanted to know what had happened at lunch with Paulina he could ask Fenton himself. It would be easy to just fly into his room and demand answers.

But Phantom hadn't seen him since they'd gotten back from Wisconsin.

Also he didn't know if Fenton had put together the fact that Phantom was basically stalking his friend group with a not so subtle internet alias. It shouldn't be hard for him to figure out. Phantom had chosen the name **ghosted **for a reason. But Fenton could be thick at the best of times.

Phantom didn't like the way this felt though. Playing under his nose and all.

But he didn't have the guts to say: "Hey, Fenton I miss you and our friends and also I miss Doomed so I'm just gonna squeeze in here now okay? I'll work hard to level up!"

Something told him Fenton wouldn't take that too well.

The whole thing had been Sam's idea in the first place. She gave him the laptop, she pulled him into the group, she even spent actual money to give him higher level items. He might have turned all that down if she wasn't loaded. But apparently she was filthy rich.

Funny what you learn when you're dead. His best friend had never let him into her house before. They'd been friends for _years_, but he hadn't known her as well as he'd thought.

So now he lounged on her leather sofa inside her massive bedroom and eyed the mounted speakers which were probably killing her eardrums. And for what? As Jazz might have said, this wasn't healthy.

He unplugged Sam's speakers.

"Hey!" she said. Shouted. "I was listening to that."

"Now you can listen to me tell you that you don't need to shout," Phantom said. "And that you don't have to sacrifice your hearing to avoid the topic. You don't want me to know about Fenton and Paulina. I get it. I won't ask again."

She stopped pacing. "That's not fair," Sam said. "You can't be cool about this."

"I can't?" Phantom floated over to her. He floated on his back and pretended to backstroke swim over her head. "Why can't I?"

"You should be mad!" she said. She continued pacing. "Aren't you mad?"

"I think you're the one who's mad, Sam."

"Because he doesn't even like her." She picked up a pillow and twisted it, as if she were trying to wring water out. "It's, I don't even, he didn't know her!"

Phantom didn't have a response to that. The problem, as Sam saw it, was always the same. It wasn't about Paulina. Phantom sighed and floated down to her level, allowing his feet to reach the ground.

Sam threw the pillow at him, but it sailed through him and knocked over a lamp instead.

"He doesn't deserve to go with her," Sam said. She stomped towards him and he flinched as she deliberately walked through him. She kicked the lamp. "Urgh, doesn't it make you want to… to…"

"Possess him?" He glared at her and she flinched.

Then she squared her shoulders. "Yes! Why not?"

"That wouldn't be fair either," he murmured. He thought of Vlad Masters and how easily the ghost had merged with his human counterpart.

If he tried would Phantom reunite with his own body as easily? Could he take it back, own it, as if he'd never left?

Or would it be the death of a clone, absorbed into Danny Fenton? Leaving the boy with both. Like Vlad.

Phantom shuddered.

"But-" Sam started.

"I may be dead," Phantom said. "But I have my own life now, believe it or not."

He dove into the air with a backflip and landed feet first on the ceiling. Smirking, he started to pace.

"Did you hear about the ghost attack at the mall?" he said. "I flew in like a superhero and saved the day!"

She flopped back onto her couch with a groan, rolling her eyes at him. "Yes, yes. Flying is cool. Walking on the ceiling is cool. I get it."

"Sam, it was a ghost _dragon_!"

She blinked. "Oh. I did hear about that." She started to sit up, then seemed to think better of it and grabbed a pillow, settling onto her back. "I thought the rumors were exaggerating it."

"Nope!" Phantom made a show of cracking his knuckles, but he couldn't get a good sound out of it. Right, no bones. He gave up. "By the time my pare- I mean, the Fentons showed up… I'd already taken care of it. De-escalated the, uh, situation."

De-escalate. It was one of Jazz's buzz words, he thought with a pang.

"You can call them your parents, Danny," Sam said.

"No I can't. Stop calling me that," Phantom said. Sam rolled her eyes. "I'm serious. They aren't my family anymore."

"So what are you saying? You don't care about them?"

"It's not about caring or not, you ass. They're ghost hunters," he said. He allowed himself to float away from the ceiling, drifting aimlessly. "How do you think Maddie would react if I accidentally called her "mom" while she's chasing me with a Fenton bazooka?"

"Maybe she'd put down the bazooka," Sam said, dryly.

He laughed without humor. "Sure, Sam. Sure she would."

An uncomfortable silence settled over them. Phantom watched Sam shiver and grabbed a blanket without promoting. He hovered over her with the blanket held out.

A peace offering.

She took the blanket. "How did a scrawny twerp like you beat up a dragon?"

He grinned. "I didn't have to."

She motioned with her hands for him to get on with the story.

"I just talked to her," he said. "I flew directly in front of her face, so she could see me. And I spoke calmly."

Jazz had once said that the best way to approach an angry dog was with soothing tones. The ghost wasn't a dog, but he'd taken a shot in the dark.

"Turns out she was a shapeshifter," Phantom said. "When she was calm she turned into a normal lady."

Sam grunted and pointed at another pillow on her bed. What, was she building a nest? But he threw it at her and kept talking. "Well, normal for a ghost."

"Dude, you should have seen her dress," Phantom said. "And the way she talked! She was so old."

"An angry old lady?" Sam said. She even grabbed the pillow that was on the floor, bringing it into her little cocoon.

"No, she looked like she'd died young," he said. "But ages ago. Medieval times or something."

Sam grinned. "That's awesome and tragic at once."

"Isn't it? And she gave me a gift, I think." He showed her the amulet he'd been wearing under his jumpsuit ever since. "It was a little hard to understand her old timey English. But she basically said she never wanted to see this again."

"Not exactly what you want to hear when you get a gift," Sam muttered. She sat up and patted the seat beside her. He sat down and she reached for the amulet, shivering again as her arm exited the blanket. "Can I try it on?"

He gave it to her, relieved to finally take her mind off Fenton.

"This is positively _gothic_," Sam said. She abandoned her nest and went to her closet to pull out a dress. "Look, it matches!"

Phantom whistled. "That's some dress you got there."

She blushed. "It's supposed to be for the dance. I probably won't even go though. It's stupid."

"It's not stupid," he said. "You should go. And take the necklace."

"Really?" She frowned. "What if it's haunted?"

"Eh, I've had that thing for days and nothing's happened," Phantom said. "It's just a relic."

"Just cause nothing's happened to _you_ doesn't mean-"

"Alright, fair point." He held his hand out to her. "Give it here then."

She held the necklace cradled against her chest. "Well," she said. "I should at least try it on… see how it looks with the dress on."

He grinned. "At least."

It looked great, of course. It was like the dress and necklace were cut from the same gargoyle themed lace cloth. So she agreed to keep it.

When her parents called her to dinner he didn't need to leave. He was welcome to loiter, she said. Again. To use her laptop or TV or… anything, really.

It was like playing hooky in a grand hotel and never getting kicked out. He could play video games all day, binge every show on Netflix, or just stretch out and nap like a cat.

The desire to sleep is what ruined it, really. It was strange. He technically never felt tired anymore. Yet sometimes he'd feel himself droop, like a wet noodle.

He'd just lie on the couch and stare at the TV without blinking. He didn't need to adjust his position, his butt wouldn't get tired of his weight. Neither of his feet ever fell asleep.

He'd spent eight hours like that once. Without realizing Netflix had stopped playing he'd just gone off into his own head. Into old memories.

Seemed freaky, in retrospect. It wasn't until Sam got home from school that he even realized how much time had passed.

Since then he'd resolved not to spend too much time at Sam's house. But where else was he supposed to go? He felt uncomfortable in public after dark.

He just wanted to be able to go _home._ Even just as an unacknowledged fly on the wall. It was sad, seeing his family happy without him. But it was also reassuring to check in every once in a while.

Phantom wanted them to be happy without him. He _did._

Even if he didn't, or if they weren't, he knew his invisible presence was useless.

Still, he couldn't resist going. He had to _know._ He had to watch and eavesdrop and wallow just a little bit.

But this time an alarm went off and he booked it like a deer who spots a lion.

oOo

Invisibility had been the easiest power, at first. It had been automatic. Whenever he didn't feel safe. Or if he was uncomfortable, really.

Then it had seemed like the hardest power to control. He couldn't turn it off if he was embarrassed, for instance. Even if he was with Fenton and _wanted_ to be seen. He'd just be stuck invisible.

Phantom had a comfortable handle on all his powers now though.

Or so he'd thought.

Then a group of college kids slipped on the ice that had spread around him as Phantom had sat in the park, curled up and miserable.

He gaped at the mess of it. There were icicles on the jungle gym. Frost in his hair. Phantom watched the cloud of their breath as the group of guys helped each other to their feet and beat a hasty retreat.

He watched them go and then stared at his hands. The frost was definitely his fault, but how did it work? It didn't have a clear origin. But Phantom found that he didn't care.

Not like the cold bothered him anyway.


	9. Chapter 9

These days Danny tried to walk around the house as quietly as possible. He felt it was important to keep tabs on his parents. He could help Phantom that way, maybe.

"... arrogant to assume he'd followed us?" Mom was saying. "Trying to hunt the hunters?"

They were working on the kitchen table. He lingered at the bottom of the staircase.

"Ghosts aren't smart enough for that, Mads."

"But why else would he have been in Wisconsin?" Mom said. "It's too much of a coincidence."

She was half right. But Phantom would never try to hurt them.

"Need help with the tie?" Jazz said. Danny nearly tripped off the last step in surprise. He hadn't noticed her coming down behind him.

"Y-yeah," he said. She scrutinized him, but whatever she found wasn't worth comment.

Or she was holding back.

He followed her into the kitchen and mom squealed at the sight of him.

"You look so cute in your little suit!" she said. "Let me take a picture."

"A boy becomes a man," Dad said, solemnly. He stood and gave Danny a hug, lifting him off the ground.

"It's just a dance," Danny said. Jazz shooed their dad out of the way so she could work on the tie.

He tried to give them a light hearted smile for the photos.

It was harder than it should have been.

oOo

"Tell me about yourself," Paulina said. They'd been dancing for the past four songs, but she'd finally gotten tired enough to let him sit.

"About myself?" Danny said. "Oh, uh, that's a hard one."

"Aw, come on," she said. She put her elbows on the table, her chin in her hands. "I've never had the chance to properly talk to you like this. Pretend you're introducing yourself to me. I want to know the real Danny Fenton."

She winked.

There's no such person, Danny thought. I'm nobody. "Alright, but help me narrow it down? It's… hard."

Paulina giggled. "It doesn't have to be. Just tell me what you like."

He stared at her.

"Your _interests_," she said. "Hobbies or whatever."

He thought of the glow in the dark stars on his ceiling. The NASA posters, the cosmic bedspread. "I like astronomy," he said. "Uh, NASA and stuff."

"Cool, what do you like about it?" Paulina said.

"I don't know."

Jeez Fenton, now is not the time for an existential crisis.

"You, uh, you like cheerleading?" Danny said.

Smooth transition, loser. He shoved his hands in his pockets, wanting to disappear.

But Paulina let it go.

"... and my Papi is a banker," Paulina was saying. Danny nodded. "Shut up!" she said, playfully shoving his shoulder. "I know, it's so boring, ugh."

Danny blinked. He desperately wanted to say the right thing here, but he was at a loss. "Boring sounds nice," he settled on.

"But I wish my parents were like yours," Paulina said. "All the gadgets and spooky encounters? It sounds amazing. Is it amazing?"

Ah.

"It's disturbing," he murmured. Danny decided to milk this, now that he could see her angle. With newfound confidence, he leaned towards her. "They're everywhere, you know?"

"The ghosts?" Her voice had lowered to match his and she breathed the words out, just a notch above a whisper.

"Most of the time they're invisible," Danny said. "They walk all over us. Swim through us. Watching…"

"What do they want to see?" she whispered. Paulina leaned towards him too, now.

"I don't think they know themselves." Thinking of Phantom, he let his volume go back to normal. Teasing her didn't seem fun anymore. "They're just… sad, I think. Or lost."

She frowned. "Do you think the ghost boy is sad?"

He blinked. "Uh, I don't know?" Tugged at his tie. "I haven't seen him up close."

"I have!" Paulina said. "He saved me once."

"Oh yeah?"

She started brushing her fingers through her hair, eyes wandering over his head.

Story time, he supposed.

"I was talking to this guy," she started. "He seemed normal at first. He was flirting with me and I didn't think much of it."

Danny nodded.

"Then his girlfriend showed up all pissy," Paulina said. "Again, perfectly normal."

Danny laughed.

She smirked.

"But then things got freaky," she said. "She started glowing. And things went flying! Like she was freaking Carrie."

Ghosts were telekinetic? Huh.

"I literally thought the bitch was gonna kill me," Paulina said. "Her boyfriend wasn't even trying to stop her."

Wait a minute.

"Then the ghost boy rescued me," she pouted. "And flew off with them."

The cheating ghost went by the name Johnny 13. He'd died in a motorcycle accident with Kitty, his girlfriend. Phantom had gotten the whole story out of them.

"Maybe he's shy," Danny said. He could picture it clearly. The two of them, when they were friends, just hanging out in his room.

Phantom loved talking about his encounters with other ghosts. He would ask a million questions, if they let him. Then re-tell their stories in dramatic detail.

"But I wanted to talk to him." She was still pouting. "At least to thank him?"

"He probably figures it's best to be cautious with humans," Danny said. "If my parents got close to him the last thing they'd want to do is thank him."

"What? Why not?!"

"He's a ghost."

"But he's a good ghost." Paulina huffed. Like it was simple.

He wished it could be. "They don't believe in good ghosts."

He thought she might have been scandalized by that. That she'd argue against it, as if he agreed with them. Instead she just said "Well, boo." And then announced that she needed the ladies room.

Not knowing what else to do, Danny followed her and stood outside.

He saw Tucker there.

"Sam's in the bathroom?"

"Yep," Tucker said. He held up his plastic cup of punch in mock cheers. It would have been fun to clink their cups together, but Danny left his at the table.

He was going to make a joke or something, but that was when the ghost dragon showed up.

oOo

It was a ghost all right. A real dragon would have destroyed the building just by standing in it, but this one had stuck its head inside the gym through the wall. It was pale and semi-transparent.

Everyone was screaming and Danny realized with regret that he'd left the Fenton Thermos at home. He wore it to school every day on that belt full of gadgets, but didn't think to wear it with his suit.

What an idiot.

He had his phone instead and was about to call his parents when the dragon scooped him up like a blonde in a King Kong movie.

Like even more of an idiot, he dropped the phone as he was carried off.

The dragon didn't go far. Just jumped out of the building and onto the football field. It was growling and releasing random bursts of fire into the air, but otherwise...

Well, it seemed confused. Agitated and defensive, for sure. When a flock of birds flew over head it flinched so hard it nearly dropped him.

Danny dangled by a clawed finger and used his momentum to swing his legs up, so he could wrap them around the digit. Maybe being in the paws of a dragon wasn't ideal, but falling twenty feet through the air would be worse.

The dragon looked more solid now. In the school it had been walking through everything, but out here it bumped into stuff. It's tail knocked over a set of bleachers and then crushed them like tin foil. Danny heard someone screaming in response and wondered if someone had been under there.

Had they been crushed? Pinned down? Would they bleed out, alone and scared, while he closed his eyes like a scared little boy, like a waste of space that was better off dead?

Danny had never felt this cold before. He suppressed the urge to let go. Because who would he help if he plummeted to the ground? Nobody. Instead he inched forward, slowly crawling up the dragon's arm. It was easy because, with the way the dragon was positioned, he was actually sliding downwards.

It's a fireman's pole, Danny told himself. A really thick, super scaley fireman's pole.

He was halfway to its shoulder when the dragon noticed and picked him up with its other hand. It held him close to its face and he thought it would incinerate him, but instead it just sniffed at him. Like a dog trying to recognize a visitor.

"Hey, dragon breath!"

The dragon blinked in surprise and Danny flinched. It's eyes were massive and they'd been solidly open this whole time. Cause ghost's didn't need to blink, did they? It was something he hadn't noticed before.

"Hey, over here! Eyes off the human, I'd make a much better toy!" It was Phantom, of course. He was flying around the dragon's head, but it kept its gaze on Danny.

"This is just rude," Phantom said. He tugged at its ears and the dragon growled, finally lifting its head towards him. "C'mon, I thought we had an understanding. We even bonded, sort of. Remember that one time at the mall? It's a precious memory!"

Danny had no idea what Phantom was talking about, but he needed to take advantage of the distraction. Once again he wriggled out of the dragon's palm and tried climbing down its arms. He went slow at first, worried it would feel the movement, but when he accidentally dislodged a scale and got no reaction he figured the ghost was pretty numb.

He made it to its shoulder without a problem.

The dragon had forgotten Danny's existence, it seemed. It was breathing fire, directing it at Phantom. He stared in horror, wondering if a ghostly fire could inflict the kind of damage a real fire couldn't, but when the fire died out he saw that Phantom was in some kind of green bubble.

"Didn't know I could do that!" Phantom shouted with a grin and a thumbs up. He was looking at Danny. "Hey! Get the necklace off!"

Necklace?

The ghost did have something on its neck, now that he looked. But when he tried to crawl towards it the dragon bucked and he slid down its back. Phantom tried to approach himself, but he had the beast's full attention. It jumped after him like a cat trying to pin down a laser pointer's red dot. All he could do was dance out of its reach as it chased him.

All Danny could do was hold on for dear life and try to crawl forward. Gravity was no longer on his side and he wasn't exactly known for his upper body strength, but something like an adrenaline rush pushed him forward until he finally reached the nape of the dragon's neck.

The cloth was glowing, but otherwise it felt normal. It wasn't cold or hot and it easily tore when Danny bit into the material. Then the necklace shrank and he put it in his pocket, instinctively wanting to preserve it.

He didn't know the dragon would shrink too.

Then he was falling. He screamed and he heard Phantom call out his name. The ghost boy caught him and safely brought him to the ground, depositing him at the entrance to the school and disappearing before Danny could stutter out more than a thank you.


	10. Chapter 10

When Sam shrank back into herself she was knelt on the ground on her hands and knees. She squinted up at Phantom and sat back on her heels, dazed.

Remarkably, there was no damage to her dress. Not a single rip in the cloth, not even a wrinkle. Nor a strand out of place in her weird spidery up-do. Her mascara was running, but she might have been crying _before _she'd morphed into a giant ghost dragon.

Phantom had no way of knowing. He wasn't there.

Not for the first time he wished he had a cellphone or something. If he could have gotten here sooner, if he'd _known_, then maybe he could have prevented this whole mess.

Or at least saved the football field's stadium lights.

He wasn't sure if he should lift her up. Maybe fly her home? Was she aware of what had just happened? The damage around them would speak for itself if she wasn't.

Kneeling down in front of her, he extended his hand forward, slowly, as if she were a stray cat he was trying to feed.

She slapped his hand away, spinning away from him. Phantom winced at the reaction and might have stood to back away, but then she puked. She held her own hair out of her face as she retched, she even bunched up the skirt of her dress and held it safely against her chest. Phantom inched closer with his hands awkwardly raised, hovering, looking for a task.

Before he could figure out what that task might be she was done. Then she stood on her own and faced him with her chin in the air. Defiant. Phantom chuckled.

"I know, I know," he said. "You never needed me."

At his words her face crumpled and she bit her lip. "Th-that's not. That's…" She sighed. "I don't want your pity."

"You think I wanted yours?" Phantom countered.

She actually stomped her foot. "That isn't fair!" Sam made as if to swipe her bangs out of her face and growled in frustration when she found that her hair was still gelled into place. "Th-this stupid hair," she said. Even after yanking out the hair ties that held her spiderweb pigtails in place, her hair still maintained its form. She groaned and raked her fingers through the strands, violently ruffling it out of shape.

Phantom stepped forward, his arms lifted. Hovering over her once again. She noticed this time and froze, allowing him to take her hands off her head. He held them in his own for a second before realizing how that must _look. _

Then he dropped them like he had been burned. "S-sorry, I-"

She grinned. "There he is," Sam said. "That awkwardness. It's a part of you."

He sputtered. "It's the stupidest part of me."

"Try the funniest," she said. "All a girl has to do," Sam leaned forward and ruffled his hair. "Is get a little close." If Phantom were human he would feel the heat on his face. For the first time it occurred to him that he could not blush.

She could read his thoughts. "I don't need to see you blush to know," Sam smirked. "It's written all over your face."

"Wh-what's written there?" he said. "Stop messing with me."

She released him. "I'm just being stupid," Sam said. She wiped at her face and frowned at the mascara on her fingers. "Just… just wanted to get that reaction from you again."

"I missed seeing that look on your face," she added. "Whenever you would talk to a pretty girl or whatever. N-not that _I'm_ a pretty girl," she snorted. "I mean, you know."

"Wha- Sam you've always been a p-pretty girl," Phantom said. He tugged at the hairs at the back of his neck. "Gaaah, and I think Dash and his friends are looking for me. Let's get out of here?"

They were still in the center of the football field. He could see the football team struggling to climb over the broken metal bleachers, which had been flipped upside down and crumpled like tin foil then tossed aside by her Ghost Dragon alter ego. She was lucky she hadn't crushed anyone with them. Sam glanced over his shoulder and saw what he meant.

"Oh, you want to just, uh, fly away?" Sam said. Phantom was relieved that she chose not to follow up on his admittance that she was a pretty girl.

"Yeah, but let me take you home."

Now it was her turn to blush. "You mean carry me?"

He stared at his feet. "Th-that's the only way it would work?"

"Right," she said. "Of course."

Then they both stood there and stared at each other in silence.

Until they heard Dash shouting _Inviso-bill _in delight when he finally made it over the bleachers. Phantom quickly put his arms around Sam's waist and she put her arms around his neck. Her grip tightened as they began their ascent. If he were human she'd have choked him to death, he thought.

She was warm. He could hear her heartbeat.

"D-don't be nervous," Phantom said. He said it for himself as much as for her. He'd been slowly lifting them higher above the field, but now he hesitated. He could see Dash and his cronies directly below them now. Waving their arms trying to get his attention as they floated in place. Then Phantom looked out over the school. It looked like the rest of the student body was in the parking lot.

Someone was waving a hastily cobbled together poster that said **We Love You Ghost Boy! **With a red marker and little smiley face doodle. Phantom grinned and accidentally made eye contact with the girl holding it. It was Paulina.

He quickly looked away.

Sam put her head against his neck and breathed deeply to steady herself. He shivered as he felt a puff of air against his skin.

"Go ahead," she said. "Let's go home."

He spotted Fenton getting into Jazz's car and felt his muscles loosen. "Okay."

oOo

"Do you hate him?" Phantom said. They were sitting on her bed with the laptops, grinding on Doomed. Sam hadn't even bothered to change out of her dress.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said. She used her avatar to kick him.

He logged out of the game. "We can't play around all night."

He set the laptop aside on a nightstand. She shrugged and continued the game without him.

"Goodnight then," he said. He floated, just a little. Threatening to leave.

She grabbed his arm. "C'mon."

He waited.

Sam groaned. "I don't hate him!"

"You attacked him," Phantom said. He was still floating. He flipped himself over so he was hovering directly above her, facing towards her.

"I was possessed," she said. She was looking at the game, but her avatar stood still and got killed.

"No. The necklace gave you power," he said. "You controlled it."

She pushed her laptop off her lap. Phantom winced at the sound of the impact when it landed on the floor.

"Sam-"

"It was like being drunk!" she said. "Everything was… primal."

"Then you hate him on a primal level?" Phantom said. He resisted the urge to pick up her laptop.

Sam grabbed a pillow and shoved it at her face. He thought she would scream, but she didn't. She just sat there, hiding her face.

He tentatively reached for the pillow. She didn't resist as he pulled it away.

"It's like… the fae have kidnapped my best friend," Sam said. "They replaced him with this changeling and I'm the only one who can see the difference!"

Phantom stared at her. "Huh?"

"It's a story. Folk tales," she said. "Ugh, would you stop hovering over me?"

She tugged him back into the bed. He landed too close, practically on top of her. She had reclined to be lying down.

They were both lying down. Up against each other. In a _bed_.

Phantom felt himself short circuiting with indecision. Move? Stay? It was comfortable, he wanted to stay.

"... are they fairies themselves or are they like zombies? I don't think a changeling is meant to be malicious," Sam was saying. "But I hadn't thought about them as characters in their own right. They were just… these little monsters."

He had no idea what she was saying. Should he tell her that or pretend he did? She'd be pissed if he got caught.

"But this isn't an old wives tale," Sam said with a sigh. She turned onto her side. Shit, now she was closer. And looking right at him. "That's what drives me crazy. I don't know what to make of him. Or of this crazy situation."

She dabbed at her eyes. Shit, she was crying. "Or how to help you."

"Hey, hey, hey," he said. "I keep telling you I'm fine."

Very slowly, so that she could punch him or something if she wanted, he put an arm around her. Sam rolled into him in response, her arms under his back and gripping his shoulders.

Swallowing, he hugged her with both arms and patted her as she continued to cry.

"You're not fine!" she said. "You're dead! You can't go to dances or college or, or-"

"Danny Fenton is alive," Phantom said. "_I'm_ just a weird fluke. A clone."

That surprised her enough to stop the tears in their tracks. "Wh-what?"

"I met someone in Wisconsin,' Phantom said. "This creepy guy who had a similar experience."

"It's happened before?" Sam propped herself up to look at him. She winced, maybe noticing for the first time that they were embracing _in her bed_.

But she didn't get off of him.

"My parents had another ghost portal," Phantom said. "A prototype. It didn't work. It exploded in someone's face."

"In the face of the man you met," Sam said. She frowned at him. "You aren't lying to me?"

He gaped at her. "Why would I lie?" He draped an arm over his eyes, tilting his chin up in a dramatic show of hurt feelings. "I see how it is."

She giggled. "I'm serious!"

"That's the problem," he said. "Ever since the accident. You're too serious."

She rolled her eyes. Something in the way she held herself was different now. Not exactly relaxed, but getting there.

She was still gripping his shoulders, but her hold had loosened.

"What's his name then?" Sam murmured. She was smiling down at him. She pulled one of her arms back and Phantom thought she was about to get off him.

Instead she brushed his bangs out of his eyes.

"Who?" Phantom said. He was glad he couldn't blush.

"The guy," she said. He blinked.

"In Wisconsin?" She prompted.

"Oh! Right, uh, well." He searched for an excuse not to tell her and tried to imagine a scenario where she would accept the omission.

It was impossible. Sam Manson was not a girl to be left in the dark.

He gave up. "Vlad Masters."

Phantom found himself holding Sam a little tighter. Protective, as if saying the name would summon Vlad like some kind of demon.

"He had the same symptoms?" She looked thoughtful. Even with the running mascara and her hair in a frazzled mess- from her own fingers as well as the flight over here- she still managed to look like…

Like a girl on a mission. Phantom had seen this look on her face many times before. Whenever she found a new project, a new victim or injustice, this was how it started.

Not good.

"No!" he said.

"Then how did it affect him?"

"Wait, what?"

"The portal. Or prototype, whatever," Sam said. "If the symptoms weren't the same-"

"Oh! They were."

"But-"

"What I meant was, you can't look for him. Or contact him in any way."

"Ever," he added.

She narrowed her eyes. "You can't stop me."

"Sam, I'm serious!" Phantom said. "He's a dangerous man. He attacked me."

"Which of them?"

"Huh?"

"You said he was like you and Danny. That you were a clone. So did Vlad Masters attack you? Or his… ghost?"

"Oh," Phantom cleared his throat. "The ghost."

"Then why would it be dangerous to contact his," she paused. "...human counterpart. Hmm?"

"I don't trust him either," Phantom said. "Please Sam don't turn this into a crusade."

"I resent that," she said. "You think I see you as a frog that's about to be dissected? A rabbit tortured by some pharmaceutical company?"

She leaned forward. Sam's face hovered over him. Close enough for Phantom to feel her breath on his nose.

"You aren't a project," she said. She took a deep breath. "And you aren't a victim. Danny…"

"I-I'm also not Danny," he murmured.

"Phantom, then." She stared at him.

He stared at her.

They were frozen like that for a while. Just staring as she breathed on his face and he wondered if it were possible for a ghost to pop a-

No, that would be-

Then she leaned forward and kissed him. He closed his eyes and let it happen.

He didn't know how to kiss. Should he open his mouth? Keep it closed? What were you supposed to do with your lips? Pucker them?

She didn't really do anything besides touch his lips with hers. They both remained still and maybe she was waiting for him to take over? But he didn't know how.

Then she leaned back.

"Phantom?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Why are you invisible?"

He opened his eyes and looked down at himself. He just saw Sam. She looked like she was floating.

"Phantom?"

"I have to go," he said.

"What," she glared at her hands. He knew she wanted to aim it at him. She was close. "Where do you need to be right now?"

"F-Fenton," he said. "I need to-"

"You're joking."

"I'm sorry," Phantom activated his intangibility and moved out of the way as Sam was dropped onto the bed.

She quickly sat back up. "Wait, Phantom-"

"S-sorry!" As if repeating it enough times could make it better.

But it was true. He needed to talk to Fenton. He'd put it off for long enough.


	11. Chapter 11

The necklace had some kind of magic to it. Though Danny felt silly for thinking it, he had no other way to describe it. The brief glimpse he'd gotten of the dragon shrinking was stuck in his head. There had been a regular person wearing the necklace, right? He didn't know who it was, but he thought they were wearing a dress. A student who had attended the dance?

Not a ghost, in other words. He was sure of it. Whoever she was, she hadn't been glowing at all. She'd looked completely solid and-

Or maybe he just wanted to believe it was possible. The urge to try the necklace on was powerful. He'd broken the string, but it would be easy to tie it back together. Though, if he did, would he have control over the dragon? Or would it take on a life of its own?

Better not to, he decided. But he added it to his utility belt. For emergencies, he reasoned. There were so many ghosts in Amity these days, after all. Most of them weren't as friendly as Phantom.

He was just taking off his coat and tie when Phantom knocked on his window. He dropped the jacket and left the tie loose around his neck so he could run over and open it. But he held up his hands. "Don't come in yet!" Danny whispered. "Let me turn off the ghost alarm."

Phantom nodded.

He had to run down to the basement to find it. Dropped something on the way, probably broke it. Oh well. He was in a hurry, he'd deal with that later.

When he got back to his room he waved Phantom in and tried to control his breathing.

But control was uncontrollable. The harder you try, the more you lose.

So he shoved a pillow against his face and panted into it. He groaned.

"Are you okay?" Phantom said.

Danny gave him a thumbs up.

Phantom took his pillow.

"Just breath, don't fight with it."

Easy for him to say. Danny didn't dignify that with a response.

He just opened his arms.

It surprised him when Phantom hugged him. He thought he'd just toss the pillow back.

That's what Danny had been asking for, but this was nice too. Phantom was cool. Pleasant against the sweat he'd worked up running down and up the stairs.

Danny's breathing went back to normal without him noticing.

But Phantom noticed and pulled away. He hovered above the bed with his legs crossed.

"Is this the part where I give you my I'm Sorry I Was a Dick speech?" Danny said.

"Sure, then I'll follow it up with my Whoops, Sorry I Stalked You speech," Phantom said.

With a _straight face_!

The monster.

Danny chuckled. "You weren't stalking me."

"Haunting, stalking, same difference."

"Aw c'mon, it was a perfectly normal human-ghost friendship." Danny wanted to pull Phantom into another hug, but the desire embarrassed him. So he ignored it.

"I popped in on you getting dressed one too many times," Phantom said. "Loitered while you were sleeping. Ignored too many boundaries."

"I would have said something if it bothered me."

"You did."

"That doesn't count! I was angry."

"Because I crossed the line."

"No you didn't."

Phantom raised an eyebrow.

"Not _really_ anyway. Just a little?"

"Fenton-"

"Masters was filling my head with creepy theories!" Danny wanted to wring the man's neck. He mimmed doing so and huffed. "He called you a parasite."

"Maybe I _am_ a parasite," Phantom murmured. He flickered.

"Oh no you don't," Danny said. "Don't disappear on me again."

He grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around Phantom's shoulders, pulling the ghost onto his bed. "Or if you have to at least stay tangible. I'll talk to your blanket outline. So stay put!"

Phantom chuckled. "Tangible is easier."

But he didn't disappear.

He looked kind of adorable, wrapped up in a blanket like that. Phantom pulled it up over his head, wearing it like a hood, and cuddled into the bed. "I missed this room," he said.

"The room missed you too," Danny said. "Um, I mean I did. Also."

Phantom pulled the blanket over his face. But his legs were sticking out and they were still solidly visible. Progress?

"Hey Phantom, know why you're not a parasite?"

The ghost didn't answer.

"Well, then. I'll tell you why!" Danny stared at Phantom's boots and took a deep breath. "Because you're the _real _Danny Fenton."

The boots disappeared.

But the blanket did it's job, holding up Phantom's outline.

And Phantom still said nothing.

Danny cleared his throat. "I said you're the real-"

"I heard you."

Danny huffed and saw his own breath. He shivered and looked around. There was frost on the window. If he didn't do something there would be icicles on the ceiling or something. Maybe it would snow.

"Phantom-"

"_You're_ Danny Fenton," Phantom said.

"You were him first." Danny poked the blanket Phantom was hiding under. "You picked out this space themed blanket." He pointed at the ceiling. "You put up those glow in the dark stickers."

"Mom put those up-"

"That's right!" Danny said. "Your mom did that for you and _you_ remember it! I w-wasn't there for a-any of that."

Danny's teeth were chattering, it was so cold. He got off the bed to hunt around his closet for his biggest winter coat. He'd just gotten it on when the blanket floated in after him. Like a lazy halloween costume, the blanket waved it's arms at him.

"Cute," Danny said. "But you're blocking my exit."

"Sometimes I want nothing more than to trap you," Phantom said. The blanket drifted forward, arms wrapped around him, and Danny was pushed back through his clothes until he was pinned against the wall. He let himself slide down to sit on the floor.

The combination of clothes, blanket, and the coat he had on actually made it pretty cozy. He'd never had this many layers surrounding him yet somehow he was still cold.

It was better though. His teeth were no longer chattering.

"You know it's actually not so bad." Danny leaned his head on Phantom's shoulder. "Being trapped with you, I mean."

"Don't say that."

"Why not?"

"If you say that how am I supposed to let you go?"

"How about you let me go but you can take me back on weekends."

"Is this a divorce?" Phantom's head popped out of the blanket.

"Ah!" Danny glared at him and Phantom just laughed. "Fix yourself, you look like you've been decapitated!"

The ghost was still solid around him, but his neck was intangible. He'd just gone through the blanket instead of looking for an opening.

"Fix it for me."

"Then give me back my arms." With the way Phantom was holding him his arms were pinned to his body.

Danny could literally feel Phantom's mood improving. It felt hot. Being bundled in so many layers was no longer cozy. He tried to wriggle out, but Phantom wasn't budging.

"Pleeeeaaase," Danny said. "I'm sweating!"

"Oh, was that the problem?" It felt like Phantom's limbs disappeared for a second. But then the pressure around Danny returned, cooler. Touching him more directly.

Phantom had phased through the blanket and coat. Now he was _in_ the coat with Danny, draped around him like an over-sized ice pack.

Still pinning Danny's arms to his sides. "Uh… Well, that's an improvement, but-"

"Just a few more minutes," Phantom murmured. "Then I'll get out of your hair."

"I'll give you an hour if you let me out of the closet."

"Not gonna to happen." Phantom gave Danny another squeeze. "This is my safe space."

"What, and I'm your teddy bear?"

"I shall call you Bearbert and you shall be mine."

"Feels like I'm missing a reference."

"You are."

Danny gave up, settling into their little cocoon.

He almost fell asleep like that. They were just cuddling in silence for a while and it was oddly comfortable. Fluffy and warm, but not too warm. Phantom's glow was like a nightlight.

Then Phantom broke the silence. "We can't both be Danny Fenton."

"Mmm," Danny said, nodding. "Then I'll be Danny Fenton Junior."

Phantom laughed. "You can't."

"Why can't I?"

"You just can't."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Anyway, that's not the point."

"Then what's the point?"

If his arms were free Danny would have tapped his chin and pretended to think. As it was he could only hum for a second. Phantom rocked them impatiently. "What's the point?"

"Vlad Masters is a poopy head," Danny said. "That's the point."

"Ah, I see" Phantom said. "And how did you come to this insightful conclusion?"

"Honestly, I wish I'd never met him," Danny said. "That whole trip was just…"

"Disturbing."

"Confusing."

"I suppose it doesn't matter," Phantom said. "If I'm a clone or a parasite or just a… a manifestation of your lost memories?"

"Such big words."

"Thanks, I've been reading."

"Oh. Barf."

"I've been bored!"

"Danny Fenton would never step foot in a library," Danny said.

"Danny Phantom would," Phantom countered. "He has too much time on his hands."

"Spend more time with me, then."

"That can be arranged."

"But let's leave dragons out of it from now on."

"No promises."

And just like that everything was okay again. Better than okay, in fact. Phantom didn't get "out of his hair" like he said he would, but Danny wasn't going to hold him to it.

Though his neck didn't appreciate waking up in the closet the next morning. Or the way Phantom was still there, just watching him sleep.

"I take it back, you _are_ a stalker," Danny said. "Get outta here!"

"But it's Saturday," Phantom whined. "Play with me."

"Noooo. I need to shower. And eat. And do homework!"

"Do that stuff laaater."

"Yeah right." When Danny got up Phantom didn't follow. "I'll see you later?"

The ghost nodded.

"For real though. You'll come back?"

"Of course."

Danny hesitated.

"Go take a shower, Fenton," Phantom said. "You'll see me later."

"I'll see you later," Danny repeated. This time he said it like a threat.

Phantom laughed and then, after a cheerful wave, vanished.

Danny decided he'd have to look through his parents inventions again. Maybe he could find a walkie talkie or something. It would give him peace of mind. Maybe Phantom would appreciate it too.

After his shower Danny realized his phone had died. When he plugged it in to charge there was a barrage of texts from Tucker. And one from Sam:

**2:18 a.m. I'm sorry. About everything. **

He wasn't sure what she meant. Before he could reply, she sent another text.

**12:54 p.m. Let's grab lunch. I'll help you with that history essay, yeah?**

He read through Tucker's texts before replying. Assuring him that he did not, in fact, get eaten by a dragon. Then to Sam he said:

**12:59 p.m. You don't want me to invite Tucker**

It wasn't a question. She replied, **We've never been alone together. Since that time.**

_That time_ being the day Danny opened his eyes to see her crouched over him and crying. Her mascara was running down her face and she kept repeating _you aren't dead, you aren't dead!_

It's the first thing he remembers. His introduction to Sam Manson.

To Danny Fenton's life.

**1:42 p.m. I'll meet you at the Nasty Burger**


	12. Chapter 12

"You can't keep calling him Inviso-Bill!" Paulina said. It was unbecoming for a lady to raise her voice, but she could not let this pass.

"It sounds better than ghost boy," Dash said. "He needs a _hero _name."

"Yeah Paulina, the dude fought a _dragon,_" Kwan said. "A dragon!"

School had just ended and they were loitering at Kwan's locker. He leaned against it with his arms crossed, a dumb grin on his face as if that fact settled it. And Dash leaned against Kwan with an elbow on his shoulder.

"Then give him a good one," she said. "Gawd, he's too handsome for a lame ass name like _Bill._"

She wanted his real name. And she wanted to know how long ago he had died, how it had happened, and if he'd had a girlfriend. If so, was that girl still alive? Was she young still or an old lady?

"What about Ecto-Man?" Kwan said. "Like cause he's made of ectoplasm?"

"Ew, no something _good_ I said." The next time she saw him, Paulina would ask the ghost boy herself. Trying to think up a name was useless.

"Hey, I don't see you coming up with any ideas," Dash said. "Good try, Kwan. Oh! What about Ghost Buster?"

"Nah, cause the Ghostbusters are a team," Kwan said. "That's like calling John Lennon 'A Beatle' or something. It doesn't work."

"Good point," Dash said. He groaned and draped himself over Kwan. "Naming things is hard, man."

Paulina rolled her eyes. They could have gone on swapping name ideas for hours, but thankfully the boys spotted Fenton and Foley walking by and couldn't resist yelling after them. "Hey Princess Peach! Where's your crown?" Dash said. He straightened up and cracked his knuckles.

"Foley you better get yourself a plunger," Kwan said. What a loyal sidekick, trying to follow the theme. "Uh, cause Bowser could come for him at any minute!"

The guys laughed and high fived each other. Foley flipped them off without looking and the nerds kept walking.

"Hey Fentina!" Dash really wanted Fenton to look at him. She could see a vein pulsing in his neck as the blood rushed to his face. Wow, it was pathetic. Fenton walked out of the building with no reaction. Dash punched a locker. "The fuck, it's like he's not even scared of me."

"I wonder why," Paulina muttered. It's not like Dash could actually beat anyone up. Not without risking his spot on the football team. Kwan tried to put a comforting arm over his shoulder, but Dash shrugged it off and stomped after Fenton.

Unfortunately, Paulina could empathize with his frustration. The little nerd had been ignoring her too. Not that she ever cared about him, but their date had ended oddly. Actually, it hadn't ended at all. It was interrupted by the ghost attack.

It was a given that there be some kind of follow up, wasn't it? But Fenton never texted or acknowledged her at all. And she didn't _care _but it was kind of insulting. Never in her life had she been ghosted like this. By someone under her league at that! She hoped Dash would punch him or something, at least once.

But she had more important concerns. Where was Manson? The goth nerd didn't go home with the other two? Paulina had never paid much attention to them, so she didn't know if this sort of thing was normal.

Kwan had been talking about something and Paulina had been pretending to listen, but she dropped her pretense when Manson finally walked by.

"I'll catch you later," she said, trailing after the girl at a measured, but fast, pace.

"But I finally got the CD!" Kwan called after her. Some new artist that had been blowing up. It didn't really matter, pop singers were a dime a dozen. Like fashion trends, they were gone in a blink. Normally Paulina attentively kept tabs on it all, but today she could care less.

"I'll listen to it later, Kwan," Paulina called back. She was closer to Manson now and the girl flinched at her volume, looking over her shoulder to glare at her.

It was as good an opening as any.

"Hey giiiirl," Paulina said. Whoops, wrong crowd. The look on Manson's face was pure disgust. Just cause Manson was a girl didn't mean she communicated like one.

Paulina tried to change tracks. She cleared her throat. "Sup?"

"What do you want?" Manson said. She stopped walking and turned around.

"Fashion tips," Paulina said. It was hard to get those words out with a straight face, but she managed it.

"_What?"_ Manson said. "Are you kidding me?"

"I wish I was," Paulina sighed. "C'mon just tell me how to dress up like a goth princess. Like you did for the dance."

Manson tutted. "Is this about Pha- the, uh, ghost boy?" She adjusted the strap on her backpack, then looked at her wrist. But there wasn't a watch there. "Look, I don't have time for-"

Paulina grabbed hold of her spider backpack by one of its plushy legs as Sam tried to walk away. "Oh no you don't! I noticed that slip up, Manson. You know his name?! Tell me!"

Manson growled. "Bite me." She tugged her backpack out of Paulina's grip.

"Fine just tell me where you got the dress," Paulina said. She followed closely as Manson walked out of the building. "What was that weird hairstyle? Tell me what it's called, tell me how you did your make up."

"You think dressing like me will get his attention?" Manson said. "That's ridiculous."

"I'm willing to try anything at this point," Paulina muttered.

Manson huffed. "Just google gothic lolita."

After delivering that little tidbit Manson flipped her off and picked up her pace.

Well, that was more than enough. Paulina let her go.

oOo

It was like wearing a Halloween costume. Paulina pictured herself as Frankenstein's bride. Or Morticia from _The Adam's Family. _Except she wasn't about to let herself look all pasty. It wouldn't work with her tan, after all. She'd need to coat her entire body in white powder to pull it off and who the hell has time for _that_?

But it didn't matter, she had The Look and that was good enough wasn't it?

She hoped so.

Finding the ghost boy turned out to be the easy part. She just had to keep an eye on the hashtag _amityparkghostboy _and she was notified every time someone spotted him. Though the ghost had a habit of vanishing as soon as he noticed anyone looking at him, it was often possible for people to sneak photos before he left.

Paulina ran to several different locations he'd been spotted at, trying to get there as soon as a post went up. It took her a few days because she couldn't run after him while she was at school, but she finally caught him at the public library of all places.

He was floating in the young adult section, reading a Harry Potter book. Dammit, was he a nerd? Paulina had to laugh at herself as she watched him. Well, she was a nerd now too wasn't she? She'd painted her nails _black_. Did social standing even matter anymore? Not when you're dead, she figured. And she wouldn't mind dying today if she knew she could stick around, young and beautiful forever.

"Harry Potter was trending for a bit," Paulina said conversationally. The ghost boy gasped and looked over his shoulder. He seemed to flicker. As if someone were rapidly turning the lights on and off, but only for him. "I think I saw the third and fourth movie because they were so popular. But then they fell out of style. And I never properly watched the series."

He stared at her with wide eyes, taking in her outfit. "Do you like it?" she said. She held up the hem of her dress, showing off the white tights and petticoat underneath. "It's brand new."

"P-paulina?" he croaked.

She squealed, "You know me?" It wasn't cool to squeal anymore, or to clap your hands and jump like an excited bunny, but Paulina couldn't help herself. This was going better than she had imagined.

His eyes widened and he vanished.

"No, come back!" she said, stomping a foot. It had been going so well. "Ghost boy!"

"Shhh," he whispered. She could feel the words against her ear and she shivered. "This is a _library._"

"Come back," she whispered. "I'll be a good girl…"

Was he hesitating or was he gone? She reached out into the air, hoping to bump against him, but there was nothing. Though there seemed to be a chill in the air. Him? Or the air vent over their heads?

"D-don't ask me any questions," the ghost boy murmured. He reappeared directly in front of her, a lot closer than she'd expected. She beamed and leaned towards him, almost close enough to give him a kiss.

"Can I ask just _one_ thing?" she said. She fluttered her eyelashes. "Please?"

He sighed. "Alright." He was still holding the Harry Potter book, she noticed. He cradled it like a baby. No, he clutched it to his chest. Squeezing it like a favored plushie.

"Did you read those when you were alive?" Paulina said.

He nearly dropped the book. Did he forget he was holding it? He chuckled at himself, picking it back up and returning it to its shelf. He scratched the back of his head. "Um, no actually. I saw all the movies as they came out and then forgot about the series. Wh-when I was alive I thought reading was boring."

Interesting.

"What changed your mind?" she said. Paulina made a show of settling in on the floor, arranging her dress around her in a cute little pool of black. The ghost boy wearily mirrored her, sitting down and glancing around. But this part of the library was deserted for now.

"I was just bored," the ghost boy said. "You get a lot of free time when you're dead, you know? More than you could ever want or know what to do with. But it turns out I really like reading. I wish I had known how much more intense it is. Th-than watching a movie, I mean."

"I like intense." She winked.

Most guys would blush at a line like that. He didn't. But he looked down. Success?

"What do you want?" he said. He was staring at her arms, at her elbow length fingerless gloves, at her black nails. She was very good at tracking the specifics of a boy's gaze.

"What's your name?" Paulina said. She ran her fingers through her hair and he followed the movement.

He snorted, "You already used up your one question remember?"

She pouted. He grinned in response, finally meeting her gaze with confidence.

"You can call me Phantom," he said. He tugged at his earlobe and for the first time she noticed the weird green earrings he was wearing. Had he always had those?

"And you can call _me_," Paulina said. The dress didn't have pockets, of course, and she hadn't had time to buy a purse to match it, but now she was glad for that. He still had an eye on her hands when she pulled the slip up paper out from under the gloves. "Anytime…"

He took the paper, eyes widening. "Is this your phone number?!"

"No, it's my social security," she joked. "Yes, it's my phone number!"

He grinned. "So you _do _have a sense of humor."

"Who said I didn't?" she crossed her arms and glared at him exaggeratedly. That got him laughing. But when the laughter died out he frowned.

"I'm sorry," Phantom said. "I can't call you."

Careful to control her tone, so that it sounded nonchalantly curious instead of whiny, she said, "Why not?"

"I don't have a phone," he said. He shrugged and held his hands out, palms up, in a _'What can ya do?' _sort of way.

"Oh." That was definitely an obstacle. "And I don't suppose you have a pen either, huh?"

"Um, no, sorry." He looked confused as she brusquely stood up, dusting off her dress and heading for the front desk. "Sh-should I stay here?"

"Yeah," she said. "I'll be right back."

When she returned Phantom was pacing in the isle. He had a hand on one of his ears. Tapping the earring, it looked like. He murmured something to himself and flickered out of view when he spotted her. Was that something he did out of shyness?

Adorable. He reappeared for her and smiled sheepishly.

She gave him a new piece of paper. A post it note this time, with her address on it.

"I have school and cheerleading practice," Paulina said. "But I'm home in the evenings, of course." She would stay home all weekend if he asked her too. But best not to lead with that. "On weekdays, I mean. On weekends it's up in the air, of course."

Stop saying _of course_, she thought. Never in her life had she felt this self conscious.

Phantom was having a similar problem. "Y-you want me to… to…"

"To come over," Paulina said. She nibbled at her bottom lip, drawing his eyes there. Today her lipstick was an intense blood red and she wondered if he liked it. Or should she have sucked it up and gone with the black? It had felt too garish when she'd tried it on at home. Too tacky. The ghost boy's mouth formed this cute little O as he processed her words and she decided red had been a good call.

Then he disappeared again.

"Phantom?"

"I'm still here," he said. "Sorry. I have to go, but um. I'll… I'll s-see you. Um, later."

"That a promise?" She shivered and wondered if he'd gotten closer. Paulina really wanted to touch him, but didn't want to be seen blindly scrambling after him again.

"Yes," he murmured. Then he was gone. She was certain of it this time. Because it was suddenly too warm in the library for the layers she had on. Removing the gloves, she headed for the elevator. Maybe she should go to Victoria's Secret on the way home, she thought. And look for a black nightgown.


	13. Chapter 13

Hangouts with Fenton had become decidedly less spontaneous every since the Fenton Ghost Detector became a thing. Phantom had to wait for him to turn it off before he could go inside the house. Which was easier said than done, it turned out. His parents had begun to pick up on it.

But now they finally had a way to communicate. The Fenton Phones looked like the kind of earpiece you'd expect to see on a CIA agent except, well, kind of bulkier and bright green. So less cool and more conspicuous, but hey! They were functional.

And today, for the first time in months, their parents would be gone for hours. They were at a special Engineering convention two towns over and might even decide to spend the night out there. It was unlikely, but Phantom was hopeful. And when Jazz got home she'd just go straight to her room. Even if she didn't, she had always avoided the lab like the plague.

Yet he couldn't bring himself to return to visibility.

"You're just pulling my leg, right?" Tucker was saying. "The ghost boy wouldn't really-"

"His name is Phantom," Fenton said, reaching out blindly. "Aha! He _is _here."

He'd found Phantom's shoulder. "Dude, what gives?"

It was a little late to explain, but part of the problem was Sam. She was glaring at her boots and Phantom wasn't looking forward to having the stink eye directed at _him_.

"Just a tad nervous," Phantom said.

Tucker tutted. "Anyone can simulate a disembodied voice these days. You just need an impressive speaker system. Record any voice you want, just someone I don't know, then add in some distortion to make it sound ghostly."

"You think Danny would know how to do any of that?" Sam said. "Or have the tech?"

"I thought you wanted me to introduce you," Fenton murmured. Both hands on Phantom's shoulders, he tried to lean towards Phantom's ear, but bumped into the back of his head. It was a light bump, almost a nudge. "You change your mind? I won't be mad if you did."

Instead of answering, Phantom focused on the cold coating of invisibility that he instinctively wrapped around himself. It was a protective blanket, but he didn't need protecting right now. He loosened his hold.

Tucker gasped.

"Hallelujah," Sam muttered. "He has finally deigned to grace us with his presence."

Fenton laughed nervously. "The sarcastic goth is Sam, of course."

Being formally introduced was cringey and unnecessary, but Fenton didn't know that he already knew her as _Phantom _as well as from his memories.

Patting Tucker on the head, Fenton added. "And this one is Tucker."

When the shock wore off Tucker took out his phone and began taking photos. Then he propped an iPad up a table, starting a video. Phantom was tempted to disappear again, but Fenton assured him nothing would be posted on social media.

"_Right_, Tuck?" He elbowed Tucker and raised his eyebrows.

Tucker whined. "What's the point of being friends with the town's most famous ghost-"

"Tuck, c'mon. Promise him you won't post anything." It was odd, seeing Fenton trying to be authoritative. He was trying to scowl in a threatening manner, but the jut of his lower lip looked like more of a pout. The crease between his brows that of a petulant child.

"Fine," Tucker sighed. "I won't post anything _for now._"

Then he turned to Phantom and, using his phone like a mic, pointed it at the ghost's mouth. "If you'll just formally introduce yourself, my good sir, we can get this interview started."

"I-interview?" Phantom said. He glanced at Sam, who had wandered off to scrutinize what looked like a giant dream catcher. The girl was straight up ignoring them.

"He's just curious," Fenton said. "Don't worry, think of it like those icebreakers we have to do at school sometimes. It's like a roleplay, just to get to know you."

The icebreakers Phantom remembered from middle school involved trying to balance a marshmallow on a tower of straws. The word 'roleplay' had a different context for him.

He was glad he couldn't blush.

"So he was a normal student before he died?" Tucker said. Fenton shrugged and nodded at the same time. Tucker scrutinized Phantom's hazmat suit, but instead of asking about it, he said, "What's the last grade level you attended, then? Phantom?"

He was still holding the phone up. Phantom glared at it, noticing a little microphone icon was lit up and flashing. But he really shouldn't be surprised at this reaction. Being a ghost meant Phantom couldn't just meet someone and bond over video games and meat lovers pizza. Without a username for cover he couldn't expect to stroll up, glowing and floating, and have Tucker accept him as just another guy joining the party.

For Tucker, this meeting was an _event. _But maybe the novelty would wear off with time.

"Oh man, it's such a fog," Phantom said. He brought his legs up so he could sit indian style. His torso remained at Tucker's eye level, but now there was more distance between him and the ground. Tucker grinned at the change.

"I know I was in middle school," Phantom continued. "What grades are those?"

"Sixth through eight," Fenton said. If he was surprised by Phantom's demeanor shift, he didn't show it. Nor did he express surprise at Phantom's fib about foggy memories.

"But it wasn't always that way!" Tucker said. "In the past the 5th grade was also middle school. You look way too old for that though, I'd say you were at least a 7th grader. But could have been in 8th."

"Let's go with that then," Phantom said. Then, because he didn't know what else to do, finger guns. He had immediate regrets, but Tucker seemed charmed. He was laughing.

Then more questions came, rapid fire:

"What sort of family did you have? Any siblings? Older or younger? Think any of them are still alive? Do you remember where you lived? Ever go to that house, like, as a ghost? Does a new family live there now? Is it sad to see people aging without you? Or do you not keep tabs on them?"

Tucker paused to take a breath and Phantom and Fenton could only blink at him. From the other side of the lab, Sam groaned.

"Oh! What was your real name though?" Tucker continued, seeming unsurprised that he hadn't gotten any answers. "No one names a baby 'Phantom' haha. Did you forget it?"

"Um, I don't know," Phantom said. "Th-that is… I don't remember things like that."

Tucker nodded. "Makes sense." Then he stood up and addressed his iPad. "Now for the fun part!"

"The fun part?" Fenton said. He looked at Phantom apologetically.

"Let's catalogue his powers!" Tucker said. He clapped Phantom on the back and flinched back when he actually made contact. "Whoa, you're cold. Though I thought you'd be colder, honestly. Hey, so you good to give us a few demonstrations?"

Phantom grinned and tried to crack his knuckles. They didn't crack, of course. He kept forgetting he didn't have bones. But the gesture still had meaning, he supposed.

"Hell yeah," he said. "What do you want to see?"

"Um, anything visually impressive?" Tucker said. "Stuff people can't write off as special effects."

Fenton elbowed Tucker, who hastily added, "Not that any people will be seeing this…"

So Phantom picked Fenton up and floated them to the ceiling. The boy grunted in surprise, but otherwise didn't protest being manhandled.

Phantom disappeared and allowed Fenton to remain visible, appearing to float on his own as they traveled. Tucker followed underneath with the iPad.

Then Phantom extended the 'blanket' of invisibility to Fenton and Tucker gasped. "You can make people invisible too?!"

He could feel Fenton shiver. "It's c-colder," Fenton said.

"Sorry," Phantom murmured. He hugged Fenton closer to him, though he knew that wouldn't generate any warmth.

"Hey, I need _visuals_ guys," Tucker said. "Come back out."

"Hold on tight," Phantom whispered. He'd been holding Fenton's torso with both of them facing the ground, and the camera, but now he tried to turn Fenton around so the human could put his arms and legs around him. It was harder to do than he'd thought it would be, and Phantom almost dropped him.

Fenton shouted and Tucker flinched. "Danny?"

"I'm okay!" Fenton said. He was latched onto Phantom like a koala to a tree branch. Phantom rubbed soothing circles on his back and murmured apologies.

"The fuck are you doing Phantom?" Sam said. She had joined Tucker behind his camera and showed him one of the Fenton gadgets. "It looks like thermal imaging. See that moving cold spot? They're coming towards us."

"Phantom the ground!" Fenton gasped as they swam through the asphalt, gliding under their friend's feet. "Ph-phantom, it's too d-dark."

Poor guy was probably freezing. But Phantom was enjoying this a lot more than he had expected. Hearing his name stuttered out like that… And the way Fenton clung to him...

"We're visible now," he chuckled. "But intangible. I'm going to float us back up so they can _see_. A good trick for Tucker, eh?"

They rose between Sam and Tucker's feet and the two sprung further apart to give them room. Tucker quickly directed his iPad at them and Sam put down the thermal what-ever-it-was. She was making faces and exaggeratedly rolling her eyes.

Phantom moved slowly, reluctant to put Fenton down. But he'd run out of ideas, so he set him on his feet and floated away. He wanted to swim languidly through the air. He wanted to strike a casual pose. But trying to look cool always had the opposite effect, didn't it? Now he was feeling self conscious.

"No come baaack," Tucker whined when Phantom disappeared again. He turned to Sam. "Where did he go?"

She ignored him and glared at the ceiling. "Stop messing around," she said. "Or I'm leaving."

Phantom re-appeared directly in front of her and she flinched.

"S-sorry," Phantom said. "I'll stay put. Uh, I mean visible. Also, I mean. Visible _and_ still. I promise."

"This time, huh?" she said. He had a feeling she was trying to reference the night of the dance. But this wasn't the time to be talking about that.

Fenton and Tucker exchanged a look. Could they tell?! Or was he just paranoid?

"Phantom is a stupid name," Sam said. It seemed like a random declaration, but Phantom recognized the challenge for what it was.

_Sam _had come up with the name not long after the accident, though she hardly used it. She wanted him to acknowledge that. To apologize for pretending not to know her.

Or maybe she was just pissed. He wasn't a mind reader.

"Um, okay," he said. "S-sorry."

"Hey man, don't let her intimidate you," Tucker said. "She's just joking."

Phantom looked at Fenton. He was surprised _he_ hadn't said anything. Fenton just stood there, rubbing the goose bumps on his arms, and raised his eyebrows when they made eye contact. Phantom looked away.

When the basement door opened Phantom did not hesitate to break his promise. Invisibility was a good instinct, it turned out.

Jack and Maddie Fenton came down the stairs. They were carrying a glowing cage with them. The ghost inside was a blob of shifting gelatin, it wriggled and grew, shrank, grew, tried to solidify into a square, then seemed to melt and shrink again.

Neither of them seemed surprised by the teenagers in their ghost lab. Though Maddie looked confused. "Danny, did you turn off the Ghost Detector?"

"Uh… No?" Fenton said. Phantom put a hand on his shoulder, tapping his finger three times. It was his way of saying _goodbye._

She helped Jack set the cage down on the floor and put her hands on her hips. "Then why didn't the alarm detect this little guy, huh?"

He floated away while Fenton gave his response. "Maybe it broke?"

That was the last thing he heard. He started flying towards Casper High, purely out of habit, when he remembered the piece of paper he'd stashed at the neck of his jumpsuit.

Paulina's address. Would it be strange to pay her a visit so soon? Maybe. But maybe not... Either way, he changed direction.


	14. Chapter 14

Paulina was in the kitchen with her mom when Phantom got there. They were making enchiladas or something. He knew he couldn't approach her until she was alone, but it felt wrong to hang around _watching _her like this. So he almost left.

But it was _Paulina_. He hadn't spoken to her since… Actually, when was the last time he'd spoken to her before today? He couldn't pin it down.

They had gym together once. Second semester, seventh grade. Stoked by the opportunity, he tried to get her attention by doing the most jumping jacks. None of the jocks were in the class, they had an entirely separate gym period for sports (and cheerleading wasn't considered a sport, what luck!) so he was actually able to hold his own for once.

Sam wasn't in the class either. He'd been so relieved by that. In retrospect Phantom felt guilty. But why feel guilty over a small little thing like that? The only reason he had been happy about it had nothing to do with Sam herself. It's just that she would have creamed him. She had amazing stamina.

As Paulina and her family sat down for dinner Phantom groaned to himself, remembering his pathetic attempt to impress her. Sure, he'd done the most jumping jacks. Whoop dee freaking do. But when he was done he couldn't _breath._ Let alone talk to her.

Still, it was better to cringe at old memories than to eavesdrop on the Sanchez family, right? He decided to loiter in her room to get away from them.

But it felt weird being in a girls room without permission. Like the time he'd floated into the girls locker room. He felt bad about it, he did! But he couldn't resist going in at least once.

As soon as they'd started undressing he had closed his eyes. But he stuck around and listened. Just being in the room was enough to excite him, not that he could-

_Get your mind out of the gutter, Fenton!_ Phantom thought. Then he sighed, noticing the thin layer of frost on Paulina's window and full length mirror.

Not good. Calm down. Or actually, this was probably a sign. Time to leave, right?

But then Paulina walked into the room. She turned on the light and immediately saw her breath. Then she looked around, eager as a little girl on Christmas morning, and called out to him. The fact that she remembered his name_ Phantom, Phantom, Phantom_. Well, that made it impossible to leave.

And though he could not blush, Phantom felt himself thaw. The frost melted and he watched it drip down the mirror.

When he cast off his invisibility she gasped and sprang forward, hugging him.

He immediately disappeared again, but she just giggled and said, "I've still got you!"

Though he could have easily escaped with intangibility, he didn't. Instead he put his arms around her and tried not to melt into a goop of ectoplasm at her feet.

"Are you shy?" Paulina said. "You're such a cutie, can't I see your face?"

"Uh, I'm working on it," Phantom said. "S-sometimes it's hard to control."

His feet weren't touching the ground and he liked the way it made him seem so much taller than her. But then Paulina walked towards her bed and he realized she was practically carrying him.

Then he was under her.

It was similar to that time with Sam. Yet the way Paulina smirked, sexy and confident, was entirely different. She was like a predator.

And Phantom was what? Dessert?

Good thing he didn't need to breath.

"I want to see you," Paulina whispered. She ran a hand up his stomach, past his chest, and paused against his collarbone. "You're so cold."

"That's kind of a natural side effect to, uh, death."

"I bet I could warm you up," Paulina said. "If you'll let me."

"I know for a fact that I'd let you do whatever you want to do," Phantom said. "Hell, I'd let you kill me again, if you wanted to."

In his head it had seemed like a cool line. But out loud it was morbid, wasn't it? And pathetic.

He didn't want to see the disgust on her face. Phantom closed his eyes.

Paulina's hand was still on his collarbone. It shifted up to rest against his neck. Her other hand fumbled on the bed until it landed on his leg. She let it slowly travel up his body until it also reached his neck.

He gasped when she gave a squeeze. But she wasn't trying to choke him.

Right?

She lightened her hold and he felt her lips replace her hands. Felt her weight when she decided to actually sit on top of him. Before she'd just been hovering.

"Don't you want to touch me?" she said.

He kept his eyes closed. "No," he said. As he said it Phantom realized that touching her was the one thing he did _not _want to do. He was certain of it, but he couldn't figure out why.

Because he was afraid of ruining things the way he had with Sam?

He was already invisible. And Paulina had accepted that.. So what could go wrong? Phantom thought of himself in gym class, panting so badly he thought he would hyperventilate. He thought he would puke, or faint, or die right there.

None of those things were possible anymore.

When he felt her hands on his cheeks Phantom finally opened his eyes, simultaneously deactivating his invisibility. It was the first time he'd done so without meaning to.

Paulina was still wearing goth makeup. It was a sign of her feelings, he thought as she smiled down at him. Phantom knew enough about girls to recognize the bid for his attention. Should he tell her it was unnecessary? Maybe she could go wash her face.

"There you are," she said.

"H-hi." It wasn't possible to play things cool. Not with Paulina. Not with anyone. He just wasn't a cool guy. But he didn't feel ashamed, this time.

He kissed her.

Paulina blinked. The look on her face said, _that's it?_

Aaaand he disappeared again.

Was it because it was too fast? Too small? Phantom didn't know enough about kissing to be doing this. He knew there were different kinds. A french kiss is with tongue. A normal kiss is with your mouth closed. But for longer. What had he done? A peck?

"Wait," Paulina said. "I didn't mean to-"

Phantom lost his hold on corporeal form and Paulina dropped down into the bed with a surprised little squeak.

Just. Like. With. Sam.

"Phantom _wait_," she said.

But he didn't wait. He flew away. Like a coward.

He flew to Casper High and paced around. He kicked over a trash can. He set up beakers in a line in the cafeteria and shot them all to pieces with ecto blasts.

When he told Tucker he only remembered middle school it wasn't strictly a lie. Phantom had barely started high school when he'd died. He had attended Casper High for two and a half weeks. Then the accident had happened.

So the school had become a nice place for him to loiter. It didn't have the weight of memories, but it also didn't feel like a place he Should Not Be. He'd tried to explain that feeling to Fenton once. Phantom had wandered into the post office that day, because he was bored, and he'd felt uncomfortable. More than uncomfortable, he'd felt _repelled_. The post office was a place he'd never have gone while alive.

Visiting his middle school was too depressing, but Casper High was just right. Especially today. He found the box ghost messing around in the basement. They tussled.

He might have spent days beating the other ghost up if Fenton hadn't called when he did.


	15. Chapter 15

It looked like Fenton Works would be a ghost free household for the foreseeable future. When Mom was through with the lecture she did more than just turn the ghost alarm back on. She locked it up. There was no way Danny would be able to turn it off again.

Which was a shame because where else would he and Phantom hang out? They couldn't exactly wander around the mall without drawing attention. Even if he wasn't immediately recognized for his infamy people might think it was weird to see a glowing teenager casually window shop. It just wouldn't work.

Tucker said they could go to his place. "But, you know, if my parents come knocking on my door he needs to disappear, same as he did with yours. Cause I am not about to try and explain how and why I'm suddenly friends with a dead guy."

Despite his original shock and fascination Tucker took to Phantom easily. When the ghost had re-materialized beside them he barely even flinched. "So that's just going to be a thing now, huh? Okaaaaay."

He showed Phantom his favorite gadgets with his usual enthusiasm, pleased to be introducing them for what he thought was the first time.

"It's practically _vintage_," he was saying, proudly showcasing his projector. "And don't you just love the giant TV? My mom painted that for me."

One wall of his bedroom was dedicated to the painted TV. When Tucker fired up the projector the screen materialized within the confines of the design. He showed them the footage he'd taken of Phantom. "The quality isn't as great as, you know, an actual giant TV. But it's not about that…"

Was it the years he'd already spent with Tucker that made it so easy for Phantom to talk with him about his favorite things? They went from tech and special effects jargon to movie references that went over Danny's head. He tried to keep up, but before he knew it he was tuning out. They hardly seemed to notice.

He wished Sam had stuck around, but she had elected to go home instead of following them to Tucker's. Because she didn't like Phantom? That's what it had seemed like.

Though she'd accepted the Fenton Phones he'd given her for ghost emergencies.

"That's Danny's favorite part too!" Tucker was saying. Danny had no idea what movie they were even talking about. "Man, you guys have so much in common, it's freaky."

And just like that the room's temperature plummeted. Danny scrambled up to turn off the ceiling fan, chuckling nervously. "Whoa, did your mom blast the AC?"

"She must have," Tucker said. They both shivered. "Haha, weird..."

Phantom was flickering. He looked apologetic.

As casually as possible Danny tugged Phantom's leg, which was hovering just below eye level, and pulled him onto Tucker's bed. He settled against the ghost with an arm around his shoulder, ignoring the cold.

Did the room warm up? He couldn't be sure pressed up against Phantom like this.

"Gaaay," Tucker said, directing his iPad at them for a picture.

Danny flushed and removed his arm from around Phantom's shoulder, but the ghost snaked _his _arm around Danny's waist. He laughed and nuzzled his chin into Danny's neck. "Wha, you don't love me? Stop squirming away."

"Y-you... I just... hey! It's cold," Danny said. He put his hands against Phantom's face and shoved him away.

"Then why'd you cuddle up to me, hmm?"

"Yeah why'd you cuddle up to him?" Tucker echoed, snickering. They was having way too much fun with this.

Danny jumped off the bed and threw his hands up, "I don't know!"

That made them laugh even harder. Scowling, Danny announced that he needed to pee. He slammed the door behind him as he left and Tucker's mom shouted up from downstairs. "Watch it! Don't destroy my house!"

"S-sorry, Mrs. Foley!" Danny called down.

Then, because he had no other choice, Danny locked himself in the bathroom.

He didn't need to pee.

oOo

After eating dinner with the Foleys, Danny walked home. He half expected Phantom to stay behind with his new best friend, but the ghost was hanging off Danny's shoulders as he walked. "Dude, go back to being invisible."

"But his parents are inside," Phantom said.

"What if they peek out the window?"

At first Phantom just had his hands on Danny's shoulders, he acted like he was floating in a swimming pull and being pulled through the water like a toddler with a lifeguard. But then he shifted forward, fully wrapping his arms around Danny's neck and clinging like a koala. "They won't," he said.

"What if somebody _else_ peeks out their window?" Danny said. "Or comes out of their house to take out the trash?"

Phantom sighed. The puff of cold hair tickled the back of Danny's neck. "Fine, fine."

And suddenly Phantom's cool arms went from pleasantly cool to freezing. He took notice of the way Danny shivered. "See? That's why I wanted to stay visible."

"Well, you could also get _off me_," Danny said.

"Nah." Phantom carded his fingers through Danny's hair from the base of his neck to the top of his head. Being pet against the natural fall of his hair felt amazing. Of course Phantom knew it would.

Sometimes it was unsettling, the things Phantom knew about his body before _Danny_ did.

"You're so touchy these days." Danny shoved his hands into his pockets and tried to keep his posture straight, but he could feel his shoulders rising against his will. He'd seen himself reflected like that in a window once: shoulders to his ears and head hunched forward. It wasn't flattering.

Phantom didn't respond. Just kept petting him.

"Did you have fun?" Danny said. They'd almost reached Fenton Works, so they'd have to say goodbye.

"I did," Phantom said. "Though it was… weird."

"Think it'll be less weird next time?"

"Maybe."

Suddenly Phantom was gone. His weight, and the cold he brought with him, had vanished like smoke. Danny blinked and before he knew it the ghost was directly in front of him, glowing softly under the street lights. "Hey do you have homework tonight?"

"No," Danny said. It was a bald faced lie.

Phantom tutted.

"Okay, not much," Danny amended. "Nothing due tomorrow!"

He had an idea of why Phantom had asked. It was always the same reason.

"Ah, but I can't turn the ghost alarm off anymore." Danny glared at the Fenton Works sign over their heads. It represented the Powers That Be, namely the ghost hunters that wanted to destroy his best friend.

Phantom didn't even look surprised. "It was only a matter of time," he said. "But that's alright. I have an idea."

oOo

"I am _not _jumping," Danny said.

"I'll catch you!"

"Why can't I just sneak out the front door?"

"_They'll_ catch you."

"Very funny."

"It's past your bedtime, Fenton. If you want to be a rebellious teenager the window is the only way to go."

"Maybe I don't want to be a rebellious teenager."

Phantom pouted. "But we barely got to hang out today!"

"We spent hours together!"

"Nah, I was with Tucker. You were sulking in the corner."

"I wasn't sulking."

"Suuure you weren't."

"Now _you're _sulking."

"Do you want me to sulk?" Phantom smirked. "Want me to beg?"

Danny blushed. "Don't say it like that…"

"How should I say it?" Phantom waggled his eyebrows. "Tell me how ya like it."

"Why are you and Tucker such pervs?"

"We're teenage boys," Phantom said. "It's normal. You're the weirdo."

"Am not." Danny heard knocking on his door. When he turned back to his open window Phantom was gone.

_Not gone_, he assured himself. _Just hiding._

"Why is your door always locked?" Jazz said when he opened it.

"Because you'll just come in if I don't lock it."

"I'd still knock."

"You'd knock and then come in. And what if I'm changing or something?"

"_Were_ you changing?" She frowned at his clothes. Jazz was in pajamas but he was still fully dressed. He even had his shoes on.

"I was _about _to."

"Alright, sorry." Jazz smiled at him. It was a smile he'd come to dread. Uncertain and hopeful. "I just wanted to help you study."

He blinked.

"For the midterm?" Jazz waved a packet of papers in his face. "You _are_ studying, right? I found my exam from my Freshman year, thought it would help."

When he reached for it Jazz pulled it out of reach. "Let me go over it with you."

"I can read it on my own, Jazz."

"But-"

"Or I can study without it."

"Ugh, alright," she sighed, but let him take it. "Let me know if you need help with anything. Or if my handwriting is hard to read-"

"You've got perfect handwriting."

"I wrote it in cursive."

"What?!"

She giggled. "I'm kidding! You should have seen your face."

He laughed despite himself. And it was nice. Danny was almost tempted to change his mind and let her into the room. He really _should_ study. Plus, she was an excellent teacher.

But Phantom was hovering outside, waiting for him to jump out a window.

"Can we go over it tomorrow?" As soon as he said it he wished he hadn't. Danny braced himself for a lecture on procrastination. Or for her to try and diagnose his tendency to avoid responsibilities.

She didn't lecture him. Jazz ruffled his hair and said, "Be home by four and I'll consider it a study date."

"Ew, don't call it a date."

"A study session, then."

Before he could stop her Jazz kissed him on the cheek. He made a face and wiped at the damp spot left behind and she laughed, ruffling his hair again. "See you tomorrow, little brother."

She shivered and glanced over his shoulder. "You shouldn't leave your window open."

"Sorry, I'll close it right now."

Rubbing her arms, Jazz nodded. He carefully closed his door behind her and locked it. Then he went back to his window and called out to Phantom. "You okay?"

Phantom re-appeared. He tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace.

"Do you still want to catch me?" Danny tugged at the hairs at the back of his neck. "Or just let me fall? I'll jump either way."

"Don't even joke about that." Phantom's eyes were glowing more brightly than usual. They felt like high beams, searing into Danny's soul. Looking for… well, Danny didn't know.

He swallowed. "I'm sorry."

Not just for the joke, he thought. For everything. For being a thief.

Phantom blinked and his eyes were back to normal. He smiled. "We still hanging out?"

Instead of answering, Danny jumped.


	16. Chapter 16

"It's the Big Dipper, Fenton! It's the easiest one to spot, look, it's right _there_." Phantom tried pointing with his head, bobbing it back and forth towards the sky.

He looked like someone who woke up with neck pain and spent their entire morning trying to shake it off.

He looked like someone who wanted to dance, but didn't have the courage to get up so he just nodded along to the beat.

He looked like-

"Fenton, look at the _stars_."

They were floating just above the clouds. It was a little hard to breath, the air was so thin.

That's why Danny was feeling light headed. It made perfect sense.

"Sorry, sorry," Danny said. "My eyes are back on the distant dots. Yep, they totally look like… something. I can actually see the invisible lines playing connect the dot. What a super power."

"You're horrible."

How was he supposed to pay attention to the stupid stars while being cradled in Phantom's arms? It wasn't exactly a bridal carry. More like Tarzan and Jane. Spiderman and MJ. But there was no vine, no spider web. Just Phantom floating _untethered _above the clouds.

And glowing more brightly than the stars.

"You're cold, aren't you?" Phantom said. "We should go back."

"Not yet! I'm not that cold." Danny kept his eyes firmly on the sky. "I finally found the Big Dipper."

"Liar."

"I know you are, but what am I."

"You're a human who needs warmth. And sleep. It's getting late."

Danny didn't answer.

Instead he tightened his hold around Phantom's shoulders and put his face against the ghost's neck. He knew better than to try and look around while they were flying.

And that was all the answer Phantom needed.

oOo

At school the next day, he accidentally fell asleep in class. Lancer slammed a textbook by his head and Danny bolted upright. "I'm up!"

Cue laughter, yada yada. He could care less. As Lancer paced around and lectured about responsibility and the importance of the midterm exam a note landed on his desk.

**Something's going on.**

He glanced over at Sam. She twirled a finger around in a _look around_ kind of way. But when he glanced around at their peers he couldn't figure out what she meant.

Lancer was pissed today because students were slacking off. He had a pile of phones on his desk, each of them attached to earbuds, and he gestured at them as he ranted. "And don't try to tell me the music is helping you study. It's a myth! A needless distraction…"

When he looked over at Sam again she was glaring at him. He shrugged. She rolled her eyes and threw another note over: **Look at their clothes!**

It was true that there was a lot of black. Ever since Paulina's goth princess makeover it had become a trend, but there were also a lot of of neon blue. Neon blue bracelets and shoes. Neon blue hair streaks and eye shadow. It looked like merch of some kind, but he didn't know what for.

"So what?" he whispered.

She pointed at Tucker, who was also wearing black and neon blue. That in itself wouldn't have been so odd. Except that, for the first time in years, he _wasn't _wearing his red beanie.

Okay that was a little weird.

When class was over Tucker filled them both in on the pop singer, Ember McLain, and wanted to share her hit song. "No thanks," Sam said. "Looks like garbage."

"Just _listen_-" He played the song on full blast.

Sam frowned. "Yep, sounds generic."

Looking flabbergasted, Tucker turned to Danny, who shrugged. "Generically decent?"

"I don't understand," Tucker said. "Ember is a goddess. Ah! You need to _see_ her, watch the music video!"

Danny and Sam exchanged a look.

"He wasn't like this yesterday, right?" Sam said.

"He was perfectly normal when we were at his house," Danny said. "And it was kinda late when we left…"

"I stayed up all night watching and re-watching all of her stuff," Tucker said. "As soon as someone sent me a link, I was in love!"

Sam groaned. "Why?"

"B-because?! She's a goddess! Look, look!" He played one of her music videos.

The singer was definitely attractive. Danny took Tucker's phone from him to study the video. Ember had long blue hair tied up at the top of her head, almost looking like a fancy water fountain with the way it cascaded up and then fell back down to her neck.

But then she sang and her hair lifted. Like a smoldering flame. And she had a glow about her. Special effects?

"Don't get roped in." Sam took the phone and handed it back to Tucker. "C'mon we're going to be late for class."

Then suddenly it was like the volume had been turned up. Ember McLain's voice drifted over the entire school, so loud that they all vibrated with it.

Someone yelled "Free concert in front of the school!" and a stampede exited the building all at once.

The three of them got caught in the traffic.

"WHO'S READY TO MAKE SOME NOISE?!"

She was on a parade float set up like a stage with a full band and amplifiers.

Everywhere students were shouting: Ember! Ember!

"THAT'S RIGHT, TELL ME WHO YOU LOVE!"

Tucker tried to climb up Danny's shoulders for a better view, "We love you Ember!"

Danny shrugged him off and looked around for Sam. She was reaching for them, the crowd was surging towards the stage and taking her with them. Danny leapt forward and managed to grab her arm, hauling her back. "This is insane!"

"Where the hell are the teachers?!" she said.

They were sprinkled throughout the crowd, cheering and clapping alongside the students. Even Mr. Lancer was jumping up and down to the beat. He ripped his shirt off and used a black sharpie to write Ember's name on his chest.

"Look at the band," Sam said. "Their skin is _blue."_

As if that wasn't weird enough, Ember McLain had magical growing hair. As she sang and the crowd continued to cheer it towered over her head, floating like an ethereal flame.

"So, uh, she's definitely a ghost…" Danny tapped at the Fenton phones over his ears, which he'd taken to wearing everywhere. "I'm calling Phantom."

Sam gasped, "These things are more than glorified walkie talkies aren't they?" She pointed at her own. "What else do they do?"

"My parents said they're supposed to filter out ghost noise!"

Ghost noise or not, Ember's concert was insanely loud. Danny wasn't sure if Sam could hear him anymore. He also couldn't tell what the hell Phantom was saying, though he could hear his voice faintly murmuring through the Fenton Phones.

They tried to get out of the crowd, but they'd ended up smack dab in the middle of it. Trying to force his way through just earned Danny an elbow in the gut and a kick in the shin. He almost lost Sam a second time, but she snaked an arm around his waist and they decided to huddled together. Two sane survivors in a sea of unbridled excitement and teenage rebellion.

Not that it could really be called a rebellion, Danny spotted the principal near the stage and groaned. This was a cult! In the middle of the day their classes and responsibilities were just being ignored.

"We have to do something!" Sam shouted. "Don't you have ghost fighting gadgets?"

He did, but there was an insurmountable wall of people between them and the ghosts on stage. His belt was equipped mostly with containment gear. He needed an unobstructed shot.

Useless, useless. Why was he always so useless?!

Then Phantom flew over their heads.


	17. Chapter 17

Their fight was short lived. Phantom's ecto blasts seemed to glide right off the band like bad lighting. Then he was hit with a pink beam that burst out of Ember's guitar.

He was thrown into the crowd and swallowed up.

Danny couldn't hear what Phantom might have said to Ember, the music drowned him out, but her response was crystal clear. She shouted it into the microphone:

"I'll see you all at the midnight concert!"

And she threw tickets into the crowd.

Everyone went crazy scrambling to snag one for themselves. Sam ducked down and pulled him with her.

She said something, but Danny didn't catch it. There was static in his ears.

"...hear me now? Fenton!"

He was still wearing the Fenton phones.

"Phantom? I can hear you!" Danny said. "Where are you?"

The music had finally stopped. Slowly the crowd loosened. Instead of being pressed shoulder to shoulder students wandered away from each other.

Teachers blinked and shook their heads.

"I'm floating above you, but I thought I should play it safe," Phantom said. "Don't know how a group like this would react to me."

"Is Ember still here?" Sam said. "Or also floating invisible?"

Danny opened his mouth to reply, but Phantom beat him to it.

"No, she's properly gone," Phantom said. "Guys she's ridiculously powerful. It's like she feeds off her popularity."

Danny blinked as Sam grimaced at the words. Oh, Phantom was broadcasting to both the Fenton phones at once. He didn't know that was an option.

He and Sam straightened up and watched their classmates drifting over the spot where her temporary stage had stood. There were tire marks in the grass.

"We need to capture her," Danny said. "If I could get close enough I could use the thermos."

"I can get you close," Phantom said. "At the concert we can-"

A blow horn blared and made Danny's ears pop. Lancer was standing at the school's entrance. He was still missing his shirt.

When he had everyone's attention he put the blow horn down and shouted "Everyone get back inside! Get to your classes!"

"Let's regroup when school lets out," Sam said. "We'll have a few hours before midnight."

And with that they trudged inside, following their dazed and dazzled peers.

oOo

He could almost pretend it had never happened. The teachers were back to normal (though it took Lancer a half hour to find his shirt) and though Ember's name was a mantra that echoed down the halls and showed up scrawled on bathroom stalls, it really felt like any other teenage trend.

Danny was tempted to take off the Fenton phones. They were the only reminder, conspicuously green at his ears, reflecting back at him in the bathroom mirror as he washed his hands. He could hear Sam and Phantom talking through them throughout the day. Though at first it had sounded like a one sided conversation Phantom was having with himself, Sam had shown him what button to press on his set to make it into a never ending three-way phone call.

"Fenton are you still there?" Phantom said as Danny stood there glaring at his reflection.

"I'm listening," Danny said.

They were supposed to be strategizing, but what more was there to say? The plan was simple. Sam would make a big show of how much she hated Ember's music, Phantom would try not to get blasted out of the sky again, and Danny would sneak up behind the stage and pull Ember into the thermos. So why were they still talking?

Sam was giggling and she whispered, "I think you finally got his attention."

The two of them were trying to distract Tucker from re-watching Ember music videos on his phone. They were playing some kind of prank using Phantom's powers.

Sam and Tucker were in American History together, but he was stuck in Chemistry. And, well, Phantom was in American History too. An invisible playmate.

Was it arrogant to have assumed Phantom would be following him?

He wanted the school day to be over already, so they could get on with capturing this stupid ghost and he could finally take the Fenton Phones off without risking fan-worship hypnotism.

oOo

When school was over he ran into Jazz. He didn't immediately recognize her. She was wearing thick eyeliner and dressed all in black, her crop top eerily similar to Ember McLain's. She squealed and grabbed his arm.

"Little brother! Look what I got for you!" Jazz said, holding out two concert tickets and waving them under his nose. "I almost got kicked in the throat, but I managed to grab an extra ticket! I was worried you'd get trampled in that crowd."

"Um, thanks Jazz," Danny said. "But uh… You know it's at midnight right?"

"Of course, it's _called _a midnight concert, silly." She was grinning at him with too many teeth.

"B-but it's a school night," Danny said. "And weren't we supposed to study for finals?"

She rolled her eyes. "We can study anytime!" she waved a hand. "But this concert is a once in a lifetime opportunity! We can't just sleep through it!"

Danny could only blink at her, speechless, and then jump as an invisible hand materialized on his shoulder.

Phantom's voice seemed to echo, and Danny realized he was hearing him through the Fenton Phone's and in person, though he murmured at such a low volume it was hard to make out. He said, "This is the most disturbing thing I have ever witnessed."

"W-we'll fix her," Danny said.

"We'll fixate _on _her," Jazz said. "I can't wait to see her on a proper stage!"

"Um actually, I'd rather stay home tonight," Danny said. "You should take Tucker with you. He's a huge fan."

"What?" The look on her face, it was as if he'd just recited 100 digits of pi by memory and she had to blink to make sure it was _him _speaking. "Danny you have to come with me. Don't you want to?"

"I don't like her music actually," Danny said. Phantom had a grip on both his shoulders now and he tried to give a warning squeeze, but it was too late.

"What do you mean you don't like her music?!" A passing student stopped to glare at him. It wasn't someone Danny recognized.

"He doesn't mean that," Jazz said. "Danny? You were kidding right?"

"I don't think he was kidding," Dash stomped forward and tried to shove him down the entranceway steps. It was impossible to do with Phantom at his back to steady him. "You're a fucking freak, it figures you'd rather listen to your outcast girlfriend over anything that's actually _cool_."

"Um, Sam's not my-"

"Let's just get out of here," Phantom said. "Sam meet us at your place."

Not bothering with subtlety, Phantom simply extended his invisibility and flew them away.


	18. Chapter 18

Sam lived in a castle. Not like Vlad's though, where his had been topped by evil looking spikes and decorated in gargoyles (at least Danny's memory had convinced him there must have been gargoyles) the Manson's had a tasteful flat and squareness to their castle.

Their mansion.

She lived in a **mansion.**

"You sure you don't have the wrong place?" Danny said.

Phantom was flickering in and out of view. "I'm sure."

"Wh-when did she," Danny sputtered. "When did _you_. A-and her…?"

Phantom was transparent, but his outline was visible. Danny grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "Phantom! I introduced you two. Didn't I? Am I an idiot? Wasn't it yesterday?"

Phantom's face was gone. Just gone, no eyes or mouth. His nose was faintly visible, sort of.

Maybe Danny should have been freaked out over that. A few hours ago he would have been. But now he had more pressing concerns. "She lives in a **castle**," he said.

oOo

Just when Phantom thought he'd finally fixed things, he went and screwed them back up. He'd gotten back on Sam's good side! He was even able to make her laugh in class, despite herself. Sure at Tucker's expense, but it was a hypnotized Tucker anyway. And he'd always been a good sport about pranks.

He'd forgotten that Fenton didn't know. That he had never even seen Sam's place before. She was going to be so pissed! He kept straining his ears, waiting for her reaction over the Fenton phones, but her end was silent. Had she turned them off? Did she even know they were here? Maybe they could just leave...

Fenton was pacing. He tripped over an ottoman between the couch and the coffee table.

He groaned and kicked it. "What even is that thing?! Just a random square? To trip me up? Am I going crazy?!"

"It's uh, for putting your feet up. If you're on the couch," Phantom said. He'd been baffled by it too, once upon a time.

"He speaks!" Fenton clapped, slow and sarcastic. "Great job, you grew your mouth back."

"M-my mouth?" Phantom pressed a hand against his lips. "It was never… gone?"

"Dude, it was," Fenton said. "But whatever. Doesn't matter."

He abruptly sat on the floor and put his head in his hands. "Doesn't matter," he repeated.

Phantom hovered over him nervously. He was surprised he hadn't frozen the room over and as he tentatively place a hand on Fenton's head, he expected something… well, explosive.

Fenton didn't react.

"I'm sorry," Phantom said. "I didn't mean to lie to you."

Fenton still didn't react.

But there was static from the Fenton phones and then Sam's weary sigh. "You're both in my room aren't you?"

"Y-yeah," Phantom said.

"It didn't occur to you that I might need a magical flight out of school too?" Sam said.

Phantom straightened and accidentally floated up into the ceiling, banging his head. "D-did you get harassed too? I'm so sorry, I'll fly back-"

"Too late," she said. "And I didn't go picking a fight like someone over there."

Fenton growled. "Speaking of fights! I want to have a fight, Sam. Get over here and let's have one."

"I'm a liar, I'm a sneak, yada yada, I'll give you my double saber in Doomed, okay?" Phantom imagined her rolling her eyes, wherever she was. "Your avatar can level up with it and we'll be square."

"I don't care about Doomed!" Fenton stood and nearly tripped over the ottoman again. On impulse Phantom flew down and wrapped his arms and legs around him. Dangling on his back like a koala, he nuzzled his face into the back of Fenton's neck.

"Wh-what the. Phantom, get off!"

"I'm hugging it better," Phantom said. And he froze like that, with his face in Fenton's neck, and closed his eyes.

Phantom could feel his muscles twitch. His shoulders tense and flex, as if he could stretch the ghost off.

He was used to the human's warmth, sometimes a sizzling burn under his skin. Like laying on the beach in the summer without shade or sunscreen.

But today Fenton wasn't hot like that. He was mildly warm, almost room temperature. Phantom snaked an arm up Fenton's torso, trying to reach his forehead. "Are you cold?"

"Would you get off?" Fenton huffed.

"Am I cold?" Phantom said. "Maybe I'm warm."

"You're never warm. Get. Off."

Phantom let go and allowed himself to float away. "Well it worked when you did it."

Fenton spun around. "What?"

"At Tucker's. I was upset and you hugged me. It helped."

"I'm not the same as you," Fenton said. "And I'm mad _at_ you. You can't just…" He threw his hands up and groaned. "Just!"

He grabbed at his hair and Phantom wanted to reach for his hands and pull them away.

Instead he tried to think heavy, willing gravity to re-claim him.

It was always difficult. Trying to plant his feet firmly on the ground. Like walking on the moon, he imagined.

When he managed it he stood directly in front of Fenton and he realized with a start that he'd shrunk.

"You grew," Phantom said.

Fenton was half a head taller than him. "Of course I grew. You barely noticed?"

"I'm always above you."

Fenton laughed at that and let go of his hair. "I might grow to be as tall as dad."

"Don't you dare!" Phantom made a show of his horror, widening his eyes and covering his mouth with a hand. A playful gasp.

"You asshole," Fenton giggled. "How do you do that? Bastard."

"Do what?" Gravity lost hold of him, so he folded his legs into a pretzel. He'd figured out a Zen way to try and stay in place, hovering just below Fenton's eye level.

"How do you turn on the charm and just… weasel your way out of shit?"

"I'm not trying to weasel my way out of anything." Phantom dropped his smile. "I really am sorry. Will you forgive me? Please?"

"Fine. But I want to know how long you've been… been…" Fenton gestured at Sam's room and glared at her bed.

Phantom pictured himself on that bed with Sam the night of the dance and gulped.

He tried for nonchalance. "A house guest?"

"Did you talk to her first?" Fenton said.

"You mean after the accident."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"What the hell?" Fenton spun away from him, pacing angrily around the room. All he needed was ear piercing music and he'd be just like Sam.

He kept repeating, "What the hell." Over and over again.

"She saw me first!" Phantom said. "It wasn't my fault!"

"How did she see you first?!" Fenton jabed himself in the chest. "Wasn't I there first?! You… you came from… Well, me?"

"You were unconscious," Sam said.

She'd walked in so quietly neither of them had seen her.

"Shit!" Fenton said. "You gave me a heart attack."

He sneezed and Sam rubbed her arms for warmth. "Could you cool it?" She said.

Phantom blinked. "Me?"

"He needs to do the opposite of cooling it, Sam."

Fenton frowned at him. "So _now_ you're upset?"

"I'm not upset! I was just startled."

"Well thaw out," Sam said. "So I was thinking about the crowd and the way they reacted to Danny's anti-fanboy attitude. We can use that to our advantage."

"Hey!" Fenton said. "Don't change the subject!"

"We can argue about that later," Sam said.

"I want to argue about it now!"

"Get over yourself," she said. "Don't you want Tucker back to normal? And your sister?"

Fenton groaned and stomped over to Sam's bed, grabbing a pillow and screaming into it.

When he came up for air he said, "I hate it when you're right!"

She rolled her eyes. "Let's get to work."


	19. Chapter 19

He'd never been backstage at a concert before, but Danny knew enough to guess that there were supposed to be _people_ back here.

A ghostly concert doesn't need a sound crew, he supposed.

There was an area to the side where he had a perfect view of the stage where no one could see him. Ember and her band were sort of sideways to him and he was aware that turning their heads even _slightly_ would give him away.

But he wasn't defenceless. Danny felt the dragon amulet under his shirt. Though he still wasn't sure how to activate it, he felt safer knowing it was an option. Plus ecto blasters.

So he stood at the ready while the music ghosted around him. Waiting for his part.

oOo

Phantom regretted letting Sam take charge of their game plan. Especially since she decided (at the last second!) that the giant Ember McLain cut out needed to be _climbed_. Who did she think she was? King Kong?

"Just catch me if I fall," she'd said.

"What if I'm too far away?!"

"Then I won't fall," she deadpanned. "Don't worry about it."

So he was glancing over at the cut out, nervously primed.

"Keep your eyes on the prize Phantom," Sam said through the Fenton phones.

"You can see me?"

"Dude, you're invisible," she said. "But I can feel your gaze."

"Gross, that's like something out of a bad teen romance novel," Fenton said.

"Ew, it is!" Sam said. "Look what you did, Phantom."

Phantom hovered over the crowd and tried to think _light_ and _not too cold_ thoughts. This was not the time for fritzing powers.

"I found Jazz in the crowd," he said. "She really did come with Tucker."

Silence over the coms. Then, "Okay the ropes are secure. Go visible."

oOo

Phantom looked like some kind of disco ball. He'd finally figured out how to activate ghost shields on command. The crowd cheered at the "special effects" and Ember danced around like it was part of the choreography.

Danny stood with the thermos aimed at the ghostly band members. He wanted to _start_ already, but Sam said it was better to wait until she distracted the crowd. _They're her battery_, she'd said. _Wait until she's at her weakest._

When they were playing Doomed with Tucker Sam was more than just a tank. She was also their best strategist.

So he waited and tried not to picture her falling to her death. He wished he had a view of her the way he did of Phantom.

oOo

The crowd was _pissed._ Drawing a mustache on Ember McClain was worse than blasphemy. It was treason. (Wait, was there a difference? He should have paid more attention in history)

Ember tried to get their attention back by raising the volume, but Fenton took out her band. She was a solo artist now and half as effective.

He expected to see her pulled into the thermos along with them at any second.

But he wasn't paying attention to the stage anymore. The crowd was converging around the Ember cut out and rocking it off its Foundation. It tilted and Sam was dangled over the crowd on her rope like a pinata.

He flew towards her.

oOo

"You little sneak!" Ember spat. "What did you do with my band?"

"The same I'm gonna do to you," Fenton said. He aimed the thermos, but she screeched so loudly his hands automatically went to his ears.

He had dropped the thermos.

Ember was fast. She grabbed his head and her hands were so much colder than Phantom's had ever been. He froze up and she yanked at his Fenton phones.

"Worst earbuds ever," she said. "Let's sing you a new song. You feelin' the love tonight?"

oOo

He had Sam cradled in his arms and was trying to figure out how to adjust her into a less embarrassing position without dropping her.

Ember was still on stage. The music was gone, but she grabbed the mic.

"Who wants an encore?" She shouted.

At first it seemed like she was alone, but Fenton stepped out from behind her and smiled up at them.

"What's he doing?" Sam said.

Fenton _wave_d at them. Then he jumped off stage. Like he suddenly decided he wanted to try crowd surfing.

That would have been fine and dandy but the crowd had shifted, they were all bunched up towards the cardboard cut out. The floor directly in front of the stage was empty.

And then it was on fire.

oOo

He knew Phantom would catch him. He knew it!

But he'd forgotten about Sam.

"Get away from him," Danny told her. "He doesn't need you."

It was the worst kind of group hug.

"Um there isn't anywhere for me to go," she said. "What's wrong with you?"

He wouldn't let her drape herself all over Phantom. It wasn't _right_. Phantom was _his._

So he pushed her off.

oOo

It was hard enough flying with two passengers. Dodging Ember's guitar beams added to the difficulties.

Phantom couldn't get the ghost shields to work! He knew by now that his powers were linked to his emotions, but he couldn't remember what he was supposed to feel to shield himself.

Or maybe he was just too distracted. Fenton had wrapped his legs around him as well as his arms and he kissed Phantom on the neck. On the cheek. On the ear.

He didn't know how he was supposed to feel about that. Now wasn't the time for-for… for whatever he was trying to do!

Then Fenton pushed Sam and Phantom scrambled to catch her.

"Aw, can't we be alone together?" Fenton whispered. His lips were still pressed against Phantom's ear.

"Are you crazy?" Phantom sputtered. "We can't just let her fall!"

"You need to land!" Sam said. "Let's get on the roof."

"But Ember-"

"We've weakened her, we can come back in a bit," Sam said.

So he flew them through the ceiling and was relieved to set them both on their feet.

"Okay, what the fuck Danny," she said. "What's going through your head?"

"I've decided I don't want to share." Fenton put his arm around Phantom's shoulder. "So just go away, yeah?"

Phantom stared at him. "Huh?"


	20. Chapter 20

**AN:** There may be some confusion about this chapter, since I had already posted it, then later deleted it. I did so because I thought it was much too short. I have since doubled its length and am now re-posting it. The first half, for those who saw it before, is exactly the same. In the middle begins the new content.

"I think it's a love spell. Or something," Sam said.

"You know what?" Phantom said. "I don't hate it."

Fenton was hugging him with an enthusiasm he'd never displayed before. They were actually facing each other, chest to chest, and he was rubbing his hands up and down Phantom's back.

And nuzzling his cheek into Phantom's hair.

"Seriously?" Sam snapped her fingers in their faces. "Did you both get spelled?"

Phantom pulled away from the hug. "Sorry."

Fenton was not pleased. "Just ignore her!"

"How do we get him back to normal?" Phantom said.

"I guess by killing Ember?"

"She's already dead."

"There's gotta be a way to destroy a ghost."

"I thought we were just going to capture her?"

Fenton rolled his eyes while they talked and put his arms around Phantom again. This time from behind.

He kissed the top of Phantom's head, then rested his chin there.

Phantom laughed. "Are you trying to make me feel small?"

"I like cuddles," Fenton said. "Didn't you want them too?"

"Well yeah but-" For the first time, Phantom realized something. "Hey guys, I'm not floating!"

Sam frowned. "So? You've done that before."

"But I've never kept it going for this long." Phantom untangled himself from Fenton and hopped three times.

Each time he came back down to the ground. Then, just to be sure, he jumped as high as he could and decided to float.

He stayed in the air. "That's a relief. I thought I wouldn't be able to fly."

Fenton clapped encouragingly.

"What is going on with you lately?" Sam said. "You're all over the place."

Phantom landed on the ground again. "I dunno," he said. "I just... I'm still getting used to this, I guess."

"To being a ghost?"

"Yeah."

"Well now's not the time for experiments," Sam said. "We need to get back down there. And I'm sorry Danny but you're too dangerous to come with us."

Fenton glared at her and grabbed Phantom's arm, "You can't separate us!"

"Dangerous? He seems harmless."

"Are you forgetting the time I almost plummeted to my death because of him?"

"Oh, right." Phantom waggled a finger at Fenton. "That was wrong. Don't do it again."

"Are you mad at me?" Fenton said.

"Uh, not that mad?" Sam was glaring at him. "Mildly angry."

She huffed.

"Okay, I'm furious."

Fenton's eyes watered and Phantom backpedaled. "But I forgive you! Don't cry."

Fenton cried anyway. The silently tragic kind of tears. He covered his face with his hands to stifle his expression.

"I take it back," Phantom said. "I miss the old Fenton."

"You're leaving me," Fenton said. "I'm an obstacle."

"Sam please tell me what to do here."

"Oh, I don't know," she said. "You could carry him home, tuck him into bed, and kiss him passionately. Then just disappear. That always works."

"Ouch," Phantom said. "Okay, I deserved that."

Fenton gasped. "You guys kissed?!"

Phantom winced. "Just once?"

"Why are you phrasing that like a question?" Sam said. "Did we kiss once or didn't we?"

"We did! I'm sorry."

Fenton knelt and curled in on himself, pulling at his hair.

Phantom moved toward him, but Sam smacked his arm and made a silent shooing motion.

She crouched beside Fenton and put a hand on his shoulder. "Still got those love goggles?"

"I feel like my heart's been ripped out of my chest and stomped on," Fenton said.

"Yeah, well, men are pigs." She gave him a pat on the head. "You'll get over it."

Phantom decided it would be better for him to keep quiet.

Then Fenton straightened up so fast he almost knocked Sam over. "You know what?"

"What?" She said.

Fenton's eyes glowed an icey blue. "I know exactly who I can take this out on."

Then he turned into a dragon.

oOo

He remembered crying. Then it was freezing. He was so angry his heart stopped beating.

Then he couldn't think.

He couldn't think, but he could run. He could attack.

He was flying.

It was her fault, her fault, her fault.

oOo

"We should have asked him where he left the thermos," Phantom said.

"Ugh, I know. Shut up."

oOo

They both had fire. They threw it at each other. They screamed. She was a tiny little banshee.

There was so much screaming. More than her. More than them. But he couldn't focus on the people running below.

oOo

The building was on fire.

Phantom could only carry so many people at a time. But they followed Sam to the exits, running a little too haphazardly.

He tried to make sure no one got trampled.

oOo

She disappeared and he roared. He smashed his head through a wall and chewed on bricks.

"Fenton! You can stop now!"

More screaming? He thought he was the only voice left.

"Fenton, please." He glowed among the rubble. A little green bubble. "Don't you want more cuddles? Hmm?"

He remembered crying. It was still so cold. But Phantom was here. He didn't leave?

"That's it. Just stay still, there we go."

He wasn't flying. Now he was falling.

oOo

He should have known Fenton had kept the amulet. What the hell was he thinking, the night of the dance? He'd just flown away with Sam in his arms and forgotten all about it. Some hero.

Now Fenton was in his arms and the consequences were so much worse. There were fire trucks and cop cars outside.

And the Fenton RV.

His parents picked him up on their scanners as he was leaving the scene of the crime. They gave chase and Phantom couldn't let them _see_.

Fenton was unconscious. He'd expected him to puke and shake this off. The way Sam had.

But he'd been under the Amulet's spell for hours longer. Was there some kind of slow poison in it? Side effects?

There was no way to know.

oOo

When he opened his eyes Phantom was all he could see. His eyes usually glowed so brightly, but today they looked damp.

Phantom's smile was all teeth. "Hey, hey, hey. Fenton, my man. How're you doing, champ?"

"You sound like dad," Danny said.

"Sorry." Phantom's face had been so close it had taken up Danny's entire field of vision. But now he scooted back and Danny noticed curtains hanging over them.

No not curtains, exactly.

He was in a giant bed.

"I can't believe this!" Someone said. It sounded far away.

Danny sat up.

"Am I being pranked? Are there cameras?"

It was Tucker. Danny couldn't see him, but he realized it was Tucker speaking.

"He's getting a house tour," Phantom said. "Want to join them?"

"No," Danny said.

"You feel like barfing?"

"What? No."

There was ectoplasm in his nose, the stench powerful and familiar. He could taste it, sour and gelatinous, coating his mouth.

Phantom hovered over him, his expression pinched and pale. It was deja vu, an eerie echo of Sam's panic on the day of the accident.

He'd been knocked out by the blast, she'd said. When he frowned at her in confusion, unable to recognize her, she'd started crying.

"I thought you died!" She had sobbed.

"She was right," Danny said. "I was unconscious."

"Yeah you passed out while you were falling," Phantom said. "You sure you don't feel sick? Even a little nauseous?"

Danny shook his head and swirled his tongue around the inside of his mouth, trying to catch the ectoplasm.

But it wasn't really there. His mouth felt thick with it, but it was just an illusion.

"Fenton?" Phantom cupped his cheek and leaned forward, suddenly reminding Danny of his mom.

His parents had hosed him down several times. They made him stand, naked, in the decontamination chamber every night for a week. They would scan him for trace amounts of ectoplasm every night and the readouts would be fainter each time.

The smell in his nose eventually went away.

"I'm fine." Danny threw off the thick black blanket that had been tucked up around him and tried to climb off the massive bed.

"Whoa, maybe that's not such a good idea." Phantom blocked him, arms out like a goalie, but Danny just draped himself over him and they both went down.

Well, more like sideways. Phantom kept them floated in mid-air and put Danny back on his feet.

They ended up standing with their arms loosely around each other and a new, foggier memory rose to the surface.

Danny was clinging to Phantom, running his hands up and down his back, nuzzling into his hair. "You know what? I don't hate it."

Danny jumped away from Phantom.

"I was hypnotized too!" He blurted.

Phantom pouted at his empty arms. "I know that," he said. "But it's not like I have cooties."

"Wh-why was it," Danny stammered. "Why did I... was it just me?"

"Yeah, everyone else was fawning over Ember," Phantom said. "I don't know exactly what happened."

Sam walked in with Tucker, greeting him with the kind of dazzling smile he hadn't seen since... Well, since just after the accident.

"You're up!" She was relieved that he had survived. Just like she had been, back then, before she noticed his amnesia.

He stared at her. "You said I was unconscious," he repeated.

She blinked. "You've been out for a few hours," Sam said. "But you didn't have any injuries so we thought we'd let you sleep it off."

"Dude that was a crazy fire," Tucker said. "Ember was a ghost the whole time!"

"You're kind of behind, Tuck," Phantom said.

"I'm talking about the accident," Danny said. "When you met him."

He pointed at Phantom accusingly and remembered that these two had kissed.

Danny blinked and shook his head, tears rising unbidden.

"Hey, hey." Phantom wrapped his arms around Danny again and made hushing noises. Like he was trying to comfort a younger brother who'd woken up from nightmares. "I'm sorry, I should have-"

"Shut up," Danny said. But he allowed Phantom to hug him, and even leaned into it when the ghost started carding fingers through his hair.

"Okay, I think I fell further behind than I'd thought," Tucker said.

Sam sighed. "Let's sit down."

oOo

"I knew you had too much in common," Tucker said. "In fact, if you listen past the weird echo-y reverberations of his voice-"

"Yeah, yeah," Danny said. "We're twins."

"Why does he look so tan though?" Tucker said. "His skin is almost orange."

"I resent that," Phantom said.

"They're inverted," Sam said. "The suit Danny was wearing when he went into the portal was white. The gloves and boots were black."

"Whoa, that's true," Tucker said. "Inverted twins!"

"There's one key difference," Danny said. "He's got all the memories."

Phantom winced, but Sam looked vindicated. "I knew your memories were still missing!"

He looked her right in the eyes. "Phantom is the real Danny Fenton."

She blanched. "That's not what I-"

"It's what you've been thinking the whole time, isn't it?" Danny stood up. "You know what? It all makes sense now. You've been seeing each other the whole time and just... Tolerating me."

Phantom stood too, planting his feet firmly on the ground in front of him. I've never been able to keep it up this long!

He'd looked so pleased with himself for such a simple thing. Phantom wanted nothing more than to be brought back to Earth.

"Fenton-"

Danny put his hand over Phantom's mouth. "Just stay with Sam," he said. "We'll talk later."

Sam reached for his elbow. "Danny-"

He shook her off. "We'll talk later," he repeated.

It was his turn to fly away, Danny decided. His turn to disappear.


	21. Chapter 21

The Fentons had upgraded their ghost shields. Now there was a green dome over the house and Phantom couldn't even knock on Fenton's window.

He wasn't wearing the Fenton Phones either.

It felt almost like going back in time to right after the accident. Before Phantom had mustered up the courage to show himself to his human half.

He decided to haunt the school again and observe Fenton in his classes. Watch him skip lunch and wander around the school's library.

For some reason Fenton never actually read any of the books. He'd spend a half hour reading titles and summaries instead, picking books up and putting them back down.

Paulina found him in there once and struck up a conversation. There was an eerie sense of deja vu in that. Phantom tried to fly closer to hear what they were saying, but Fenton was wearing something...

Some kind of ghost repellant? It wasn't like the ghost shield around his house, strong and solid, it was more like... Phantom felt a little shock as he approached and he knew it would get worse if he kept going.

He figured it was an upgrade on Fenton's utility belt.

So he couldn't hear what Paulina was telling him, but he could watch her point at the Harry Potter books and laugh as she grabbed Fenton's arm and led him towards them.

They're totally talking about me, Phantom thought. He decided to fly away at that point. Whatever they were saying, he didn't want to know.

oOo

Game night was Tucker's idea. They met at Sam's house, all four of them, and plugged into Doomed. Phantom was watching Fenton closely when the ghosted avatar came on screen, but he didn't react.

Tucker told him ahead of time, then.

Fenton was sitting in between Sam and Tucker and Phantom was surprised by how close he allowed Sam. They were practically thigh to thigh. And Phantom was on Tucker's other side, feeling isolated despite Tucker's best efforts.

He managed not to float out of his seat.

Sam had helped him grind his character up, so now he was nearly at the same level as everyone else. It made for a smooth mission, though everyone was tense.

Or maybe they were just cold.

Tucker made the best of it, once he realized. He asked the Butler for hot chocolate and cookies and he and Fenton ransacked Sam's room for as many blankets as they could carry.

Because the game room consisted of two couches- two seaters- instead of one long couch, Sam and Fenton ended up bundled under two blankets together.

Why they decided to stack and share those blankets instead of each taking one was beyond him. They were being oddly cuddly. And kind of whispering to each other.

When had they made up?

Tucker was stuck on the couch with Phantom and so was given the majority of the blankets.

"I'm sorry, Tuck," Phantom said.

Tucker laughed. "I got the blanket with a heating pad, dude. This feels amazing."

He sipped at his hot chocolate. "It's like Christmas came early," Tucker added.

Phantom frowned.

"Shit, watch out!" Tucker tried maneuvering his character with only one hand on his controller and nearly spilled his hot chocolate. Phantom managed to grab the drink and put it back on the table.

ghosted died for his trouble.

"Was that your last life?" Sam said.

"Yep. Looks like I'm out of the game."

"You died for a worthy cause," Tucker said, trying to reach for his hot chocolate again.

Phantom moved it out of his reach.

He watched them play for a few minutes, trying not to sulk. Trying to will the room warmer, so they'd all bake in their blankets.

Trying to keep his eyes on the screen and not on the other couch.

Finally he gave up and stared at Sam, willing her to make eye contact. When she did, with a raised eyebrow, he put his hands together in a pleading way.

She raised her other eyebrow.

He pointed at her, pointed at Tucker, pointed at the door.

She glared at him.

He put his hands back together. Please, please, please.

She sighed. "Hey, Tucker."

"Yeah?"

"Did I ever show you the bowling alley?"

Tucker was focused on the game. "Bowling is kinda lame. Plus everyone's too loud and annoying."

"Not when you own a private bowling alley."

He dropped his controller and swiveled to gawk at her. "There's a bowling alley in the house?!"

"Yep," Sam said. "My grandma is the only one who uses it, but-"

Tucker stood. "And you're barely telling me this now?!"

Fenton rolled his eyes. "Tucker, you died."

Tucker solemnly removed his beanie, holding it to his chest. "Friar Tuck lived a noble life." Then he put it back on. "Let's go bowling!"

"Me and Sam are still alive," Fenton said. "We can finish the level without you."

"But I need her to show me-"

"Here," Sam said. "Phantom can take over for me."

She untangled herself from the couch with Fenton- his legs had been draped over hers, Phantom noticed- and tossed the controller.

Phantom caught it.

On her way out with Tucker she glared at Phantom. "Have fun," she said.

It sounded like a threat.

"You're real subtle, you know that?" Fenton said. He kept his eyes on the game. "I could see you in my peripheral."

"Sorry."

"I'm sure Tucker did too," Fenton added. "He's just too nice to call you out."

"He's always gone easy on me," Phantom said, poking the abandoned blankets. "Want the heating pad?"

"You want to move Chaos before she gets stabbed?" Fenton retorted.

Phantom paused the game. "How come you can forgive Sam, but not me? She kept secrets too."

He gestured at the room around them, the fancy flat screen and other equipment. "She kept one for so much longer!"

Fenton sighed. "I'm not mad about that anymore."

Phantom blinked. "Oh."

Fenton made as if to unpause the game and Phantom grabbed the remote and turned the TV off.

Fenton groaned. "What do you want?"

"Can I sit over there?"

"And freeze me to death?"

"You have blankets!"

"Why is it so cold, Phantom?" Fenton re-arranged the blankets to cover his legs back up.. "I know it's tied to your emotions, but which ones, huh? What feeling makes it cold?"

Phantom swallowed. "I don't uh..."

"Don't try and tell me you don't know."

"Well, I can't just pinpoint it like that," Phantom said. "I could say I'm sad, but it's not just sad. I've felt sad without freezing a room."

"So you're sad and...?" Fenton prompted.

"Lonely? Frustrated? Guilty? Terrified? It gets cold when there are too many things hitting me all at once. I can't untangle them."

"Jealous?" Fenton added.

"What?"

"It bothered you," Fenton said. "We could tell. Me and Sam."

Phantom took that in. Then he flew over to Fenton so fast he accidentally tackled him off the couch.

"Wh-what the hell!" Fenton was trapped in his blankets now. Like that time in the closet. But this time he wriggled around like mad, trying to get loose.

Phantom pinned him to the floor and squeezed his eyes shut, holding on with the determination of a bull rider when Fenton bucked.

"Get off!" Fenton said. "It's too hot in here!"

Easily fixed, Phantom thought. He phased the blankets and threw them away.

Now he was directly touching Fenton, face pressed against his chest. Fenton shivered under him. "Dude, you're freaking me out."

He could hear Fenton's heart beat. It was a relief, somehow. To hear his heart again.

Reluctantly, Phantom put some distance between them. But he kept his arms on either side of Fenton, caging him in. Looming over him.

"So it was a test?" Phantom said. "Right? Just a test?"

"What?"

"You and Sam. You wanted me to be jealous?"

Fenton was glaring at him. "Let me go."

"I did." Technically. But he didn't want Fenton getting too far. He needed him near.

"Okay wait," Fenton said. "Which of us... ugh, why are you grinning at me like that?"

"I missed you," Phantom said. He gave up holding himself up. He stretched out on Fenton and put his head on his chest.

He wanted to hear that heartbeat again.

"This is so confusing!" Fenton said. "Why are you like this?!"

"What do you mean?"

"You've been getting touchier and touchier," Fenton said. "It's weird, almost like..."

"Almost like what?"

He tried to shove Phantom's head off his chest. Unsuccessfully.

Phantom wrapped his arms around Fenton, really digging in his hold.

"You don't like me touching you?" Phantom said. "Is it because I kissed Sam?"

"Phantom-"

"I'm sorry I kissed her," Phantom said. "Do you like her?"

"That's not..." Fenton groaned. "Would you get off and let me sit? I don't like lying on the floor."

Phantom floated them up and onto the couch. He let Fenton sit and sat behind him, wrapped around him like a human backpack.

"Wow," Fenton said. "There is something seriously wrong with you."

"What? No, there isn't."

"Like now you got zapped by Ember's guitar."

Phantom considered this. "No, I think I just... Didn't know, before."

"Didn't know what?"

"How good this feels." Phantom gave Fenton a little squeeze. "Maybe it's like Vlad was saying. It's like I'm attached. Or I'm supposed to be."

"Don't even say that name," Fenton said. "I don't want to think about-"

"Maybe you don't feel it because you're human," Phantom said. "But for me it's like... A magnet."

"A magnet," Fenton echoed. "So then it has nothing to do with me as a person."

"What?"

Fenton shook his head. Abruptly, Phantom let go of him and flew overhead, landing in front of him.

Fenton was glaring at his hands.

"Wait, I didn't mean-"

"Do you fly around town kissing every girl that'll let you?" Fenton said.

He wouldn't look up from his hands. His fingers were tightly twined together. Squeezing.

"Paulina told you we kissed?"

Fenton laughed, bitterly. "No, but you just did."

"I'm sorry," Phantom said. "Do you want me to-"

"No," Fenton said. "You can do whatever you want."

"But then-"

Fenton put his hand over Phantom's mouth.

"Let me get one thing straight," he said. "You can't get that cuddle bug out of your system with just anyone. You want to touch me because... Because this was your body?"

Phantom shrugged.

"And you've had a massive crush on Paulina since the 6th grade," Fenton said. "But now, even though you kissed, you're avoiding her."

Phantom nodded. He thought of Paulina and Fenton in the library together and looked at Fenton's waist.

The belt loops of his jeans were empty.

"And with Sam...?" Fenton prompted.

Phantom lifted his hands, palm up.

Clueless.

Fenton rolled his eyes. "You aren't allowed to hurt Sam," he said. "She's my friend."

Phantom nodded.

"I'm not saying you aren't allowed to... to kiss her or whatever," Fenton added. "If that's what she wants, then fine. But you can't just jerk her around."

Phantom nodded so quickly that he accidentally dislodged Fenton's hand from his lips.

There was a warm spot left behind.

"Down boy," Fenton chuckled. "You think you can keep your hands to yourself when we're hanging out with Sam and Tucker?"

"Well yeah," Phantom said. "But when will we be alone?"

"I dunno."

"The new shield-"

"I know," Fenton said. "I don't know, maybe we can hang out... Uh..."

He trailed off, smiling in a way that Phantom couldn't decipher.

Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his Fenton phones. "I'll call you sometime," he said. "So don't worry."

And he ruffled Phantom's hair, then walked towards the door. "Let's go bowling."

It was a strange attitude change.

Kind of dismissive. "But Fenton-"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Fenton said. "You need to disappear while I look for that butler."

So he disappeared. Then he put his arms around Fenton's shoulders, floating along as he'd done many times before.

When they made it to the bowling alley and the butler was gone Phantom put distance between them and re-appeared.

And then... well, bowling was kind of lame. Especially when Sam's grandma showed up.

He had to disappear again.

Sam was still wearing the Fenton phones. She was the only person, besides himself, who never took them off.

"I'm going to head out," he told her. He was floating against the ceiling.

"Aw, but we could just go back to the game room?" She said, tapping the earphones when Tucker gave her a questioning look.

"That's okay," Phantom said. "Have fun bowling. I'm gonna... Fly around."

"Alright," she said. "Have fun."

But he didn't leave. He stuck around until Fenton went home. He followed all the way to his house, without touching.

Watched him walk through the green shield.

Then he flew around. Found the box ghost. Tussled.

But his heart wasn't in it.

He felt like he had missed something important.

There had been something in Fenton's face when he was glaring at his hands.

_So then it had nothing to do with me as a person._

Phantom knew he'd said the wrong thing. He didn't know how he would fix it.


	22. Chapter 22

They were in the locker room.

"I can't just _ignore_ him," Dash said. "He's always provoking me."

Kwan always had to take his sweet time in the shower after practice. He was barely toweling off while Dash waited, eyes averted.

"Uh, he doesn't do anything much," Kwan said. "I know you have a history, but-"

"We don't have a history," Dash grumbled.

He stood against his locker with his arms crossed while Kwan got dressed.

"I just don't see what the big deal is." Kwan dressed quickly, probably noticing the way Dash was tapping his foot. "And Paulina says-"

"She's full of shit." Dash slammed the door open on their way it, it smacked a band geek who'd been walking by.

Kwan snickered, but Dash didn't react. He didn't give a shit about the band nerds anymore.

He quickened his pace, angrier somehow, and Kwan struggled to keep up.

"I think it makes sense," Kwan said. "His parents-"

"It makes the opposite of sense," Dash said. "It makes, uh..."

"Nonsense?"

They both frowned.

"Look, Phantom wouldn't want anything to do with the Fentons." Dash started to tally reasons on one hand. "They build nothing but ghost weapons-"

"Didn't they also make that cool force field thingy?"

Dash plowed on as if he hadn't spoken. "They're always ranting about ghosts as if they've got rabies or something-"

"Well, there was that fire-"

"And Phantom saved everyone!" Dash said. "He was carrying people out and-"

"Preaching to the choir dude." Kwan used his hand to shade his eyes as they stepped out of the school. "Look, it's just her theory. And unless you can prove her wrong-"

"Just look at his smug face and-"

"Unless you can prove her wrong," Kwan repeated. "You've got to lay off."

Dash kicked a soda can under a car and didn't respond.

"Forget about Fenton." Kwan unlocked his car. "Let's do something fun."

Dash paused before getting in the passenger seat. He patted all his pockets; pants, jacket, backpack- big zippers and little. "Fuck, I left my phone."

"Aw man." Kwan re-locked his car, closing the drivers side door as if to go back into the school with him.

"Nah, man you go on," Dash said. "I'll catch another ride."

He jogged back towards the school, fully aware that his phone had been in his inner jacket pocket all along.

oOo

If Paulina was right Dash wanted to get to the bottom of it himself. Knowing her, she'd try to seduce the answers out of Fenton.

He'd rather beat it out of him.

Phantom was more than just a hero. He was...

Dash wanted the chance to talk to him. Though it seemed crazy to imagine a badass like him hanging around with humans, apparently Paulina had gotten that opportunity.

It was just twice, she'd said, and she'd glanced down and blushed as if-

Well, Paulina got every guy she wanted. Even the super guys, apparently.

He managed to grab Fenton before he'd made it out of the building and he unceremoniously picked him up, slinging him over his shoulder.

Manson put up a fuss, following and punching Dash on the back. Fenton kicked, flailing around and not doing much damage.

He ignored their yammering (he'd timed this perfectly, the teachers were all in a staff meeting on the second floor) and stuffed Fenton into a random locker.

_~bul~ly~_

"... violation of basic human rights and dignity," Manson was saying. "If you think you're untouchable just because you're a football star-"

"Can it, Manson." Dash slammed his shoulder into the locker door, bending the metal inwards and making Fenton yelp.

_~buuul~ly~_

She paled.

"I have serious business with Fenturd today," Dash said. "You want him back in one piece? Tell him there's just one thing I wanna know."

"I can hear you just fine, Dash!" Fenton groaned. "The hell do you want?"

Dash grinned. This was the most Fenton had said to him all month.

But before he could get started on his interrogation, Manson jumped on his back.

At first he tried to just shake her off- a little hesitant to hurt girls, even weirdo ones- but she just wouldn't budge.

Dash had no choice.

_~bully!~_

Something in the back of his head was bothering him, but Dash ignored it. He slammed his back against the locker. He could hear the air leaving her lungs in a huff and he winced, but it got the job done. She fell off him.

_~BULLY~_

Dash flinched, looking from her to the locker Fenton was in.

She'd landed on the floor, but she was in between them now.

Fenton's baby blue eyes were staring through the cracks. "Sam! Sam, are you okay?"

She was shaky, but she stood back up.

"Look, I just have a simple question." Dash took a step back from her, hands raised.

She glared at him and then spun around, grabbing the latch to the locker Fenton was trapped in.

"Don't let him out yet!" Dash grabbed her arms and she shook him off. "Just stay out of the way!"

He pushed her aside and she flew.

She fell.

**~BULLY~**

Dash wasn't trying to hurt her, he just wanted Fenton. She was always in the fucking way!

"Sam!" Fenton pounded on the locker door. "Sam! Is she okay? Sam!"

He'd accidentally knocked her out.

His head was pounding.

**~BULLY~BULLY~BULLY~**

"She's fine!" Dash said. "Forget about her for a second."

"I can't see her." Fenton had always had such huge goddamn eyes. They were all Dash could see through the locker slits.

He'd never seen them like this before. Teary.

Wait, no, he had. In elementary school.

It had been so easy to make him cry back then.

It had filled him with pride, watching tears stream down his face. Dash felt an echo of that pride now, but there was also something else.

His ears were ringing.

**~you will learn to cry~**

"L-look," Dash said. "Paulina thinks you have a way to contact Phantom."

"Jesus fucking christ, Dash!" Fenton was banging on the locker door again. He managed to undo some of the dent in it. "You're such a fucking asshole..."

Fenton kept talking, but Dash couldn't hear what else he was saying.

The ringing in his ears had gotten too loud.

**~you will be pushed and kicked~you will be bullied~**

Then Dash blacked out.


	23. Chapter 23

The Fenton Phones were in his pocket, but he wouldn't call Phantom for help because

1, It would prove Paulina right and

2, He'd just been waiting for a chance to use the little blaster on his utility belt.

He thought that chance would have come with their fight with Ember, but he'd Hulked out instead.

Or, uh, Dragon'ed out. And Phantom had confiscated the amulet, afterwards.

But the blaster was filled with ectoplasm, not bullets or even lasers. Instead of freeing him it just sort of blinded Danny and splattered the inside of the locker door.

Some of it oozed out of the slates.

God, Danny thought. Some weapon.

oOo

It shouldn't be possible for a ghost to skateboard so easily, Phantom thought.

Not that Johnny was a pro. He tried a complicated jump where he kicked the board into a spin. The board landed wheels up and Johnny, when his feet connected, pinwheeled his arms and skidded with a painful scrapping of wood and concrete.

And then he fell.

He floated himself up before his chin could meet the ground, but he ripped the twin holes at the knees of his jeans wider.

"It's like you almost forgot you could fly," Phantom said.

"Fuck off, asswhipe," Johnny said. He picked his skateboard back up and glanced from it to Phantom. "Ain't you bored yet? 'M not used to a mother fucking audience."

"Is that why you come while the other skaters are at school?"

Phantom had been floating in place in what had become his favorite "sitting" position, with his legs crossed like a levitating monk, but now he tried to plant his feet on the ground.

He ended up bouncing slightly. It was like trying to stand still on a trampoline while someone else was jumping.

Johnny groaned. "It's always twenty questions with you."

"You're so good at looking human though," Phantom said. "You could hang out with the other skaters if you wanted to."

Johnny scoffed. "I got no use out of palling around with a buncha kiddos." He glared at Phantom. "One kid licking my heels is bad enough."

"How old were you when you died?" Phantom said. "I thought you were a high school kid."

"I keep sayin' it don't matter." Johnny glanced at the sky. In exasperation? Sometimes Johnny would get this look on his face, like he'd take a break from being grumpy and cool.

Was it melancholy? Phantom found that hard to believe.

"Okay, okay." Phantom gave up on trying to stand still and resumed his Zen float. "I'll leave you alone and stop asking you questions for the rest of eternity if you help me with something."

Johnny tilted his head. "Go on."

He was still standing firmly on the ground, holding his skateboard. He was glowing, but Phantom had seen him turn the glow off. He needed to know how.

But more importantly, "How do you control the floaty-ness?"

Johnny laughed. "The what now?"

To demonstrate, Phantom tried again to plant his feet on the ground. He landed so roughly that he bounced twice as high this time and was forced to do a little flip to get himself back down.

Johnny tisked. "My, my, monkey boy. Here I thought you was trapeze-in' for your own entertainment."

How does he know a word like trapeze and still use words like ain't? Phantom thought. Johnny's way of speaking was full of weird contrasts like that.

"I mean, sometimes it's fun to goof around," Phantom said. "But sometimes I want to try and pass for human. Like you, you know? Turn off the glow too, if I can."

Johnny grinned. "That one's the hard thing."

"I'll worry about it later then." Phantom was pacing around the ramps now, using their peeks as stepping stones. Then he got to that railing thing and pretended he was on a tightrope.

On a tightrope and human. Move one foot at a time, directly in front of each other, arms out and wobbly.

Johnny was leaning back on a ramp now, watching with his arms behind his head. "Doin' fine on your own, kid."

Phantom made it all the way across the railing and then gently floated off.

He walked back to Johnny with smaller jumps. He was still on the moon... Or maybe now he was on Mars. The space between his jumps was smaller, the gravity turned up.

"Dude, what's the difference between the railing and the regular ground?" Johnny said.

"I don't know?" Phantom said. "Some places are just easier to keep my feet on. Easiest is the ceiling."

"Uh-huh," Johnny said. "In the interest of an eternity of no more questions..."

"Yeah?"

"What do you think about when you're walking on the ceiling?"

Phantom grinned. "Spiderman."

"Well, there ya go." Johnny said. "He's sticky ain't he? Just be Spiderman everywhere."

Phantom frowned. "I can't think about Spiderman twenty four seven."

"Then what were you thinking about on the railing?"

"That it was a tightrope," Phantom said. "But that doesn't always work 'cause I have to talk myself into thinking it'll matter when I fall. And I usually can't."

Johnny sat forward, elbows on his knees. "And what do you think about when you're walking around the res' a the time?"

"That I'm on the moon," Phantom said. "Or Mars. Sometimes I'm on the space station orbiting around Earth. Sometimes on a ship on its way to-"

"Ima stop you right there," Johnny said. "That's your whole problem."

"Yeah?"

"Dude, just stop being a moonwalker." Johnny stood. "Get your head out of space. Walk on Earth."

Phantom thought about his Zen monk levitating imagery and realized he'd been thinking backwards this whole time.

He thought he was placing metaphors on what was going on around him, but the metaphors were what caused what was going on around him.

But if he felt like he was swimming through the air didn't he "swim" or fly, before he thought it? Wasn't that the default?

Johnny clapped. "Congratulations Major Tom."

Phantom looked down. Boots firmly planted.

Huh. Guess floating really wasn't the default. He'd been so distracted by Fenton, that last time, that he'd stopped thinking about being a ghost.

Had stopped feeling like an astronaut on a foreign planet.

"That's great," Phantom said. "Now the glowing..."

oOo

Now that he thought about it, this technically wasn't the first time Dash had stuffed him in a locker.

Danny had a vague memory of Phantom mentioning it after he'd spent a couple hours in a Fenton thermos.

But it was _his_ first experience with it and it was one he'd rather have lived without. Plus he was taller than Phantom must've been when it happened to him. His neck was cramping from the angle he was hunched at. His legs were going numb.

He didn't have enough wriggle room to reach into his pocket.

His elbow was right up against the door so he banged on it again. "Sam?!"

Had Dash left? He'd stopped responding.

"Sam, please tell me you aren't bleeding out or something," Danny said. "Did Dash flee a crime scene? C'mon."

He could feel the Fenton Phones pressed against his thighs. He managed to get two fingers into his pocket, but not far enough.

Then the door opened and he almost fell out.

Someone caught him.

"Sorry about that, buddy," Dash said. "I know I'm bad news, but enough is enough, eh? Let's get your girl and call it square."

Dash set Danny on his feet.

Then his knees buckled and Dash had to catch him again. It was a weird almost hug.

"Well, ain't that a bite," Dash murmured.

"My legs are numb, you prick," Danny said. "But I'd rather fall. Get the fuck off me."

Dash helped him slide down to the floor.

Was this normal behavior for him? Technically Danny didn't know the guy very well, but this was an odd mood change.

He was kneeling in front of Danny now, looking contrite.

Nearby, Sam groaned.

Danny gave his legs a punch and quickly crawled over to her. Dash made as if to follow. "Back off," Danny said.

Dash stayed put.

Okay this was scary. The good behaviour was probably because of Sam. Danny frantically looked for a wound, for blood.

There was none that he could see, but her hair was jet black and the injury was probably at the back of her head?

As gently as possible, he lifted her head and felt around the way he'd seen his mom do for his dad one time when he'd knocked himself out on a pipe.

He found the bruise, but it didn't feel too bad.

Sam opened her eyes.

He realized he was sort of cradling her and gave her an awkward smile. "Sorry," he said. "Just looking for blood."

"That's romantic," she muttered.

He grinned. If she still had energy for sarcasm she'd be fine.

"Let's get her to a nurse," Dash said. "Let me carry her for you."

Danny helped Sam sit up and they shared a look. Thankfully she seemed just as baffled by this offer as he was.

Dash gave his own arm a squeeze, grinning. "I got the guns for it."

Danny glared at him and Dash put his hands up like he was about to be mugged. "You don't need to _worry_. I'm no bird dog."

"What." Sam blinked at Dash several times. Long slow blinks. "Is he drunk?"

"Does alcohol make you bi-polar?" Danny said.

"Real smog in the noggin, I bet," Dash said. "But I'm, uh..."

He seemed to search for the right thing to say. He glanced around the empty hallway, then snapped his fingers. "I'm turning over a new leaf," he said. "From this day forth, I will bully no more! And I'll-"

"Shut up," Sam said. "You're too damn loud."

"Headache?" Danny said.

She nodded, then winced.

The blood flow had returned to his legs by now. Good enough anyway, that Danny could stand and help Sam to her feet.

Dash stood too and said, in a whisper, "Look I'm real sorry I harassed you and your girl-"

"Would you stop calling me that?" Sam said. "We seriously aren't dating, and even if we were-"

"Hot dog," Dash said. "A dark fuzzy duck like you, I mean I might have, but now-"

He glanced at Danny.

Sort of got stuck there. It was weird, the way he was staring now. Danny looked away. "Will you give it a rest? Leave us alone."

Dash nodded, really fast little nods. "Sure, sure. I'll make like a tree."

He walked away, but backwards.

Kept staring at them until he bumped into a wall. Then he laughed at himself and properly turned around, walking with his back straight as a ruler.

"The fuck is wrong with him?" Sam said.

Danny shrugged. "The nurse probably went home already," he said. "But my mom's great at first aid."

She sighed. "It's not visible right? I don't want a lecture when I get home."

"You're good in that department."

"Great, let's go to your place."

Danny swallowed. "Uh, should I tell Tucker to come over too?"

He was worried, suddenly, about being alone in a room with her.

Even though his parents were _always home_. Literally worked from there. They weren't exactly attentive chaperones.

Not that, uh, chaperones would be needed. Sam had a thing with Phantom.

And he-

"Yeah, I'll text Tucker," Sam said.


	24. Chapter 24

He was swimming with the stars.

That's how Phantom liked to view it, anyway. Though he knew he'd have to at least clear the Earth's atmosphere in order to _really _fly beside stars.

And he wondered, how close could he get to the sun? Would he melt at some point?

Though it was made of ectoplasm, malleable and gooey, Phantom _did _have a body.

Could he die a second time?

He wasn't even sure if the first time counted, since his body just sort of walked off without him and all.

What Phantom hated the most about this whole situation was being alone at night. Especially since he had nothing to tell time with. No watch, no giant clock tower. Somebody ought to write a letter of complaint to Amity's mayor and demand a big clock tower.

He wanted it to look like the one in _Back to the Future._

So anyway, when the sun went down Phantom just… waited for it to come back up. That's all he _could_ do.

He was alone all night, usually.

This time he'd tried to stick with Johnny (it's just nice having someone to talk to okay?) But then Johnny ditched him for a date with Kitty.

That was hours ago.

Now he was flying over a store, watching men in uniforms unload a bunch of boxes.

If he went in there after the employees had gone would be find the box ghost making a mess?

Phantom was debating whether or not the box ghost counted as company (he only ever repeated, like, three sentences) when his Fenton Phones beeped.

He'd been patched in with someone.

"Hey!" Phantom said. "What's up?"

He heard Tucker sigh, "Dude. Ugh."

Phantom flew past the store and landed on the roof of the public library. Feet firmly on the ground, he began to pace.

"Wanna talk about it?" Phantom swung his arms back and forth as he paced. He could pretend he was a regular person on the phone with a regular friend, this way.

Er, with a regular bluetooth headset type thing.

"I feel like something's going on between Sam and Danny," Tucker said. "But they don't tell me _shit."_

Phantom stopped pacing. "Are they still mad about the kiss?"

Very dramatically (probably over exaggerating his surprise, in Tucker fashion) Tucker gasped.

"I _knew _it," he said. "Fuck, I always knew it was inevitable. Now I'm screwed."

"What?" Phantom said.

"You _know_," Tucker said. "The third wheel. The cock block. The-"

"Wait, wait, wait," Phantom said. "Fenton and Sam? No, they didn't kiss."

There was a pause. Then, "Wait, why would they be mad?"

Phantom didn't know where to start. With the amulet that turned them both into fire breathing dragons? With Ember and her weird love song?

Tucker filled the silence with his own theories. "Does it involve Paulina?"

Oh, right. Phantom had almost forgotten about that. Fenton had been pissed about that kiss too. Did he tell Sam about it?

"Uh, well, Paulina kind of has a crush on me," Phantom said. "I went to her place once-"

Another gasp. "Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?!"

"I don't know, Tuck," Phantom said. "Why did my parents build a force field that locks me out of my house?"

"Oh, the bittersweet irony," Tucker said. "You can fly right into Paulina's house without needing to sneak past her hulk of a father, but you can't walk through your own front door. Sad, lustful times, that."

Phantom wished there was something on this rooftop he could kick. "Whatever."

He let himself sink through the floor and landed on the fourth floor of the library.

He half heartedly kicked into one of the shelves.

"But they were acting so awkward," Tucker said. "I was like 'why did you guys even invite me over?' They were avoiding eye contact and-"

"What? Are you saying they're dating now?" The kick had just sort of pushed the books deeper into the shelf.

Feeling stupid, Phantom grabbed the books and pulled them back forward.

"Maybe they are!" Tucker said. "Maybe they're secretly dating and just trying to decide when to tell me. Maybe they were just about to, but then there was also this thing with Dash and Sam hit her head-"

"Dash hurt _Sam?!_" Phantom stood so fast he went halfway through the ceiling. He took a deep breath and brought himself back down.

Boots firmly on the ground.

_Stop being a moonwalker_, Johnny had said.

But Phantom was still kind of untethered.

"He pushed her," Tucker said. "Cause she was trying to get Danny out of the locker he'd been shoved in."

"Godammit!" Phantom said. "Fucking Dash, what the hell is his problem?! It's been years since…"

"Phantom?" Tucker said. "Did the Fenton Phones run out of batteries or something?"

They hadn't. Phantom had forgotten what he was going to say.

Because he was surrounded by a room full of floating books.

"Phantom?"

He just stared at them. Took another deep breath.

They all fell at once, but they'd been at different heights so they didn't reach the ground at the same time.

It was a weird series of _thump thump thump_ as they were reunited with gravity, all landing at different spots. Falling from different heights.

"Are you okay?" Tucker said. "Listen, I should probably go to bed. It's just that I wanted someone to vent to. My _other _best friends are… well, I don't know what they are."

Phantom frowned. Sam liked _him_ first, hadn't she? But that was because she thought of him as the real Danny Fenton.

Maybe she'd realized he was just… a weirdo ghost clone.

"Phantom?"

"Sorry, Tuck," Phantom said. "I wasn't much help."

"That's okay dude," Tucker said. "I just wish you could have been there too. But we were at Danny's house. So."

"I get it." Phantom was picking up all the books now, trying to figure out where they belonged.

"Let's have a game night this weekend," Tucker said. "Just you and me at my place. See how _they _like it."

Phantom chuckled. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Tucker laughed too. "A bro-date, yeah."

"I would be honored."

With that decided, they hung up.

And Phantom was left with a library in chaos. Well, he thought, at least I have something to do until the sun came up.


	25. Chapter 25

When Danny got to school the next morning, everyone was drinking soda before first period.

"Dash broke into the vending machine," Mikey told him excitedly. "He's giving free soda out to everyone. Even _I_ got one!"

Mikey was an overly freckled redhead who, uh, was in band or something. His locker was right next to Danny's, but they'd never really talked much.

That Danny could remember.

"Oh," Danny said. "Uh, cool."

"He said he digs my hair!" Mikey continued. "And I don't think he was being sarcastic. Do you think he was being sarcastic?"

Danny could only blink at the kid stupidly.

Then Tucker came to the rescue, walking up to them and ruffling Mikey's hair. "Who cares what Dash thinks?" He said. "Statistically, you've got the rarest natural hair color on the planet. You won the lottery."

Mikey beamed at him. "Thanks Tucker. Want my soda? I didn't open it."

Tucker rolled his eyes. "It could be poisoned, dude."

"Dash said-"

"Who cares what Dash said?" His items retrieved, Danny slammed his locker door shut. "He's an ass."

"He wants to turn over a new leaf," Mikey said. But he eyed his free soda uncertainly. "Even gave this whole speech to the football team-"

Tucker guffed. "Did you film it?"

"N-no, but-"

Tucker put a hand on Mikey's shoulder, slowly shaking his head.

Mikey sighed. "Next time I'll record it."

He walked off and Danny wondered if Tucker and that dude were friends or not. It was hard to tell with Tucker sometimes.

"Uh, do I know Mikey well?" Danny said, scratching his cheek.

Tucker blinked at him. Then his eyes widened. "Oh. You didn't..."

There was an awkward pause. Danny pretended to look for something in his backpack.

"I know him better than you," Tucker finally said. "Film club and other overlaps like that. You just knew- know him through me."

He didn't know Tucker was in the film club. Casper High had a film club?

"You've got English with him," Tucker added.

"I know _that_," Danny said, pulling out a pen, he finally closed the backpack.

It was one of those clicker pens, with a button where an eraser would be for a pencil. He clicked it a few times and had to mentally kick himself into stopping once they'd reached the classroom.

Tucker followed him in.

He suddenly wished that they didn't have any classes in common.

Especially since-

"Hey-o, daddy-o!"

Fucking Dash.

"Daddy what?" Tucker said.

He was about to sit down next to Danny, as usual, but Dash held an arm out to block him. "Nah, I've got dibs!"

_Dibs? What a childish thing to say_, Danny thought.

Tucker could only stand and stare as Dash sat down.

Technically there wasn't assigned seating. Only Lancer gave a shit about stuff like that.

So when the teacher came in and Tucker was still standing he had no choice but to sit down in front of Dash.

For a moment, a very brief, very tiny, very friggin' _microscopic_ moment, Danny felt relieved.

Because this meant Tucker couldn't look at him or talk to him all period. He'd have to turn himself all the way around and get in trouble.

But now he had Dash glancing at him all period. In a weird way.

The idiot even tossed a note over.

**Buy you a slurg?**

Danny stared at the note. Then at Dash.

Dash grinned at him.

Danny crumpled up the note and tossed it in his backpack.

Dash put his hands together as if in prayer.

Begging?

He tossed a second note.

**To apologize? For bullying.**

This time Danny ripped up the note. Slowly. Deliberately. Looking Dash in the eye the whole time as his hopeful smile fell.

oOo

When they got out of class Tucker wouldn't shut up about it.

"Daddy-o? Daddy-o?!"

Luckily they didn't share second period.

"What the heck is a slurg?" Danny said.

"What?! A slug?"

"No, a, uh. Just- look." Danny showed him the wrinkled note.

"Google is our friend," Tucker said, solemnly. It took him two seconds to solve the mystery. "It's slang for milkshake, apparently."

"What?" Danny tried to look over Tucker's shoulder, but his friend angled the phone away. "Hey hey, no peeking. You know that gives me the creeps."

Danny made a note of that.

Because he didn't. He didn't know.

Phantom did.

"Sorry. Um, see you at lunch," Danny said. It was time for them to split up.

"Mhm." Tucker was typing away at his phone as he walked. Students had to dodge out of his way.

oOo

Right before lunch Danny had a class with Sam.

And everything was normal between them, probably.

But then again, he wasn't sure what normal was supposed to look like. Normal, before Phantom had revealed... well, that he knew Sam past and present, before then there had been tension between them.

Between Danny and Sam.

And he'd thought it was just about the amnesia, but now he knew it had been something more like grief. For Phantom.

For what Danny had stolen from him.

And now they'd made up?

It was stupid too because they'd bonded over a mutual anger at Phantom.

But then things got awkward. The cuddling-

Danny didn't want to dwell on it.

Was it just awkward for him? Did she even notice?

**Stop spacing out**, she wrote at the top of her notebook in red ink. **I won't let you copy my notes.**

**Liar,** he wrote in giant letters across his blank page.

She snorted.

_It's just awkward for me_, Danny decided.

oOo

"It's time for a field test!" Tucker announced.

Sam glanced around in mock shock. "Are you sure? I thought it was time for lunch."

"I'm serious guys," Tucker said. "I've got a theory, but before I can tell you I need to test it. So that your opinions on the results won't be biased."

"Uh huh," she said. "So who is the lucky subject this time?"

Danny listened to this exchange in frustration. What was with today? It was full of references and and...

Reminders of what he was missing.

"Dash Baxter," Tucker said, standing dramatically.

Sam hummed thoughtfully. Then, slowly, her thoughtful frown turned into a shit eating grin.

_Well_, Danny thought, _If it means messing with Dash..._

"Proceed," Sam said, clearly on the same page.

Dash wasn't in the cafeteria though. All three of them scanned the crowd.

"Weird," Tucker said. "None of the A-listers are in here..."

"Well then," Sam said. "Let's go find them."

She looked at Danny.

He realized he had been silent for longer than was socially acceptable. "Uh, ditto."

Tucker glanced at his uneaten food, looking torn. He was still standing.

Because Danny hadn't been talking he'd gotten halfway through his. But Sam had barely nibbled into her salad.

"Or," Danny said. "We could do the field test after school?"

Tucker snapped his fingers. "Even better!" He sat down and took a huge bite of his burger.

He mumbled something.

"Uh, come again?" Danny said.

At the same time Sam said, "Shut up and swallow."

Their words kind of overlapped, but Tucker got the message and nodded. Taking three more big bites, he swallowed and then pointed at Danny. "You're gonna let him buy you a slurg."

Now it was Sam's turn to miss a reference.

"A what?!"

Danny grinned. "A milkshake."

"Why the heck-"

"All will be revealed, my friends." Tucker paused to gulp down some soda.

"All will be revealed," he repeated as dramatically as a man can while clutching a half eaten cheeseburger an inch from his nose.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Choke and die," she said.

oOo

"There he is!" Tucker said. "Go get 'im!"

"You make me sound like an attack dog," Danny said.

All three of them were in the parking lot. And actually seeking Dash out.

It felt surreal.

"Don't attack," Tucker said. "Fetch."

Danny laughed.

"What are you waiting for?" Sam said. "Go get 'im, boy!"

"You guys are assholes," he said.

But he was still laughing.

And before he could do anything Dash spotted them and jogged over.

"Dashing over," Danny murmured.

That cracked them up.

"You're right dude!" Tucker said. "He really is!"

Sam was laughing so hard she almost fell over and had to grab Danny's arm for balance.

Or did she pretend to almost fall over? She wasn't a clumsy girl.

Wasn't she laughing too hard? It wasn't that funny.

Danny didn't have time to dwell on her.

Dash was in front of them and he wasn't even out of breath, the pompous-

"Hey-o!" Dash said.

That word alone made Tucker laugh harder.

Dash ignored him. He was looking directly at Danny. "Listen, I know we've had beef-"

"It's okay," Danny said. "Glad you dashed over."

That got one more snort out of Sam but Tucker groaned. "Don't run it into the ground, man."

Dash was oblivious. "Listen," he said again. "I found out- I mean, I."

Dash paused.

Danny blinked at him.

The guy licked his lips. He seemed...

Nervous?

"Listen," he said again.

"Uh, I'm listening," Danny said.

His friends were openly laughing behind him.

_Well, this is a role reversal_, Danny thought.

Dash was scrambling for a reply, sweating under their laughter.

There was something odd about his eyes, Danny noticed. They looked gray. Hadn't they been blue?

The sun felt too bright above them.

Dash tried to laugh along, "Just doing a bit, guys. It's a big tickle, right?"

In his peripheral vision Danny noticed Tucker had his phone up. Was he filming this?

The laughter had died at the phrase _big tickle_.

"Li-look," Dash said. "I've got bread. C-can I take you out?"

His smile was strained. Desperate.

"Take us out?" Danny said.

"No! Just you and me," Dash said. "I don't mean _walking-_ I mean..."

_He's drowning_, Danny thought.

"B- because you have a car?" Danny said.

At this point he just wanted to try and dig Dash out of the hole the guy had dug himself into.

He normally wouldn't want to help him with anything. Ever. But Dash was acting so oddly today. Almost like... he was out of place.

Dash was missing something vital.

Danny could empathize with that.

But now Dash was turning beat red in a way Danny had never seen before.

"Y-you want to take a ride?" Dash said. "Cause, I've never. I've never, with anyone, but with a boy-"

"You don't know how to drive anymore?" Sam said dryly.

"I can drive!" Dash squeaked.

There was a pause. Danny could feel both Sam and Tucker squinting at Dash as if he'd lost his head.

Or like... he'd lost his personality.

And they weren't the only ones. There were loads of kids eavesdropping, glancing at Dash incredulously as they walked by.

The A listers were only a few feet away, leaning against Dash's car.

Not even pretending to ignore the exchange.

"You need a chaperone," Tucker said.

Sam raised her eyebrows at him and Danny felt the same. It was the randomest thing he could have said.

Dash gaped at him. "Y-you think so?"

Tucker nodded. Then he glanced down at his phone. "Hey _Dash_."

Dash blinked. "Me," he said.

"Yes, _you_." Tucker was typing something into his phone, but he looked up to waggle his eyebrows at Dash. "You think Danny's a flutter bum?"

Dash grinned. "Danny," he said.

He looked at Danny. "They kept using your last name," he said.

Then he looked back at Tucker and his eyes widened. "A flutter bum? Well, of course but-"

"No worries, pal," Tucker said. "We're all cool with... with... I mean, it's alright for you to be a flit."

Dash paled.

"It's different times, now." Tucker was looking at Dash differently than before. There was no more mocking laughter.

He seemed sincere.

But Danny had no idea what they were talking about.

"I never thought I was," Dash said, uncertainly.

"You always were," Tucker said. "In fact, everyone in school already knows."

"They do?!"

Danny looked at Sam for a hint, but she looked just as lost.

"You told them yourself, _Dash_." Tucker kept putting an exaggerated emphasis on Dash's name.

"I did?"

"You were proud to announce it," Tucker said. "Seventh grade, I think."

"Oh," Sam said. "You mean when he came out of the closet?"

It took Danny a second to process that.

Closet. Closet. Coming out.

The words echoed in his head.

Dash?

This whole time.

"...so I'll chaperone," Tucker was saying. He kept glancing between his phone and Dash.

He waggled his finger at the taller boy. "No back seat bingo on my watch!"

Dash stiffened. "I-I wasn't going to-"

He glanced at Danny. "B-but if you wanted to-"

"No, no, no," Tucker said. "You can't ask him yet, that's too fast."

Dash looked apologetic. "I didn't think you were fast, Danny."

Tucker looked as confused as Danny felt for a second.

But then he was typing into his phone again and he snorted. "Heck no, my best friend? He's _not_ fast. How dare you."

"I'm very sorry," Dash said. "But when he said he wanted to drive-"

"That's not what he said and not what he meant," Tucker said.

"Okay, I'm bored with this," Sam said. "Can we end the field test?"

"Yes ma'am!" Tucker said. "Listen, Dash, we're gonna have to take a rain check."

Dash sighed. "I get it. I'll make like a leaf."

"Hey, buddy." Tucker's tone was consoling. "Pal, no harm done. You can take him out later. For real."

"Do I get a say in this?" Danny said.

He was tired of listening to them talk about him like he wasn't _right here._

It was nauseating. How familiar it felt. How easily Tucker, everyone, would just...

Treat him like a ghost.

_You deserve it,_ a part of him thought. _You got the better deal anyway. _

Tucker opened his mouth but Dash beat him to the punch. "Of course!" He said. "Danny, I want you to know that I respect you."

That was so unexpected Danny wanted to pinch himself.

"Thanks..." Danny said.

He couldn't stay mad at this guy. There was no sarcasm or malice in his tone, in his face. He was...

Dash had used Danny's first name.

Like he'd never heard it before... was that actually the case? He'd just learned Danny's first name?

The A listers always addressed people they looked down on by last name. It was possible. And Dash had never bothered to have an actual conversation with Danny or Tucker or the likes of Mikey before this weird... change of heart.

_I'm turning over a new leaf_, Dash had said.

"You can run along now," Tucker said with a grin. "Your friends are waiting for you."

"Friends," Dash repeated, beaming. "Yeah, they are!"

He glanced over his shoulder as if to make sure. "They _are_ waiting."

It reminded Danny of the way Mikey had reacted to Tucker's compliment this morning. And how pleased he'd been to announce that Dash was being nice to him.

"I'll dash back!" Dash said. He smile was all teeth.

"Smooth!" Tucker raised his hand.

Dash gasped and enthusiastically gave him a high five.

Then he really did run back to his car, while the A listers stared at him slack jawed.

"Okay," Sam said. "What the hell did you do to Dash?"

"I didn't do anything," Tucker said. "The dude has been _possessed_."

Danny didn't even hear him. He exploded.

"Did Dash ask me on a date?!"

He just realized what getting a milkshake with a gay kid would mean.

Sam looked at Danny. She looked at Tucker.

Tucker was about to reply but she held a finger against his lips. "Okay stop," she said. "Pause."

There was a moment of silence.

Then she glared at Tucker. "Did Dash ask him on a date?"

"Guys, that's not what's important here!" Tucker said. "That wasn't Dash!"

"Then who was it?" Sam said. "He didn't act like..."

She glanced at Danny so quickly he almost didn't catch it.

"He didn't act like a blank slate," she said.

"I said he's been possessed." Tucker threw his hands up. "Hello? _Possessed_. By, you know, a _ghost_."

"What."

"Jesus, you guys are slow," Tucker said. "Look, can we re-locate? My backpack is heavy and I'm tired of standing in the parking lot."

"I can agree to that," Danny mumbled.

"Ugh, fine. My house then?"

They both looked at her in surprise.

Sam rolled her eyes. "You both always want to go to my house."

"Duh," Tucker said. "But this is the first time you _offered_."

"I can take my offer back-"

"To Sam's house!" Tucker said.

"Hurrah," Danny muttered.

He glanced at Dash's car. It was starting and stopping awkwardly and almost crashed into the flagpole.

Dash was sitting stiffly behind the wheel and Kwan was saying something to him, shaking his head.

Dash's eyes were wide.

Like he's never driven a car before.

Danny nudged Tucker. "Hey, look."

They watched Dash and Kwan both get out of the car, switching seats.

Kwan drove them smoothly out of the parking lot.

"Dash is possessed," Danny said. "I-is he gay or is the ghost gay?"

"They're both gay, dude," Tucker said. "Keep up."

Danny would never be able to keep up.

Maybe he should just accept that.


	26. Chapter 26

Phantom wasn't actively looking for Johnny. He _wasn't_.

He was just flying around aimlessly, as he often did. All his friends were at school, afterall, and even when they weren't in school that didn't mean he'd get to hang out with them.

And it wasn't his fault ghosts stuck out like sore thumbs. He noticed their glow, even if he was so high up that the people of Amity Park looked like ants. Phantom knew when he was looking at a ghost.

Johnny was on a date with Kitty, it seemed. So Phantom stayed invisible.

That's just common courtesy isn't it? He didn't want to interrupt.

Shadow punched him in the gut for his troubles.

"Jeez, kid," Johnny sighed. "The hell are you doing sneaking up on us like that?"

Shadow was holding him up by the front of his jumpsuit. Phantom allowed himself to dangle there and didn't even flinch when Shadow snickered and reared his inky fist back for another smack.

"That's enough Shadow," Johnny said. "You can put him down."

Reluctantly, Shadow did so. Kitty cooed over him. "Aw, no fight in you today? What's wrong, sweetie?"

Phantom frowned at her. "Nothing's _wrong._"

"Don't be like that, baby," Kitty said. "You're saggy as a wilting flower. Like a love sick puppy. Girls giving you trouble?"

He glared at her.

"Don't flirt with the kid," Johnny growled.

Kitty pouted at him. "I wasn't flirting!"

Then her eyes brightened, glowing ominously, "And so what if I was? You flirt with human bitches all the time, but I can't play around with the baby ghost?"

Phantom blinked at that. Baby ghost? Is that how the others saw him?

Johnny groaned. "For the last time-"

"Nuh uh," Kitty said. "Stop right there, I'm not listening to-"

"Babe-"

"_Johnny_-"

"Guys!" Phantom said. "Look, I just wanted to uh…"

They looked at him expectantly.

"Can you guys have sex?" he blurted out.

He immediately regretted it when Johnny groaned and Kitty clapped her hands together in delight. "Do you mean with each other or with humans?" Kitty said. "Little ghost! You _are _love sick!"

"Well, I was just wondering if, uh, if it _works_," Phantom stammered. "Um, down there. F-for…"

Kitty smirked, looking between the two of them. "If what works?"

"I'm just _wondering-" _

Johnny gave him a withering look. "You can't ask that in front of my girl."

"So he can ask you later?" Kitty giggled. "Is this what you guys talk about when I'm not around?"

"_Oh yeah_," Johnny said. "Don't you think he'd know by now that his dick works-"

"Okay, I'm sorry!" Phantom said. "Shouldn't have asked, shouldn't have interrupted your date-"

Kitty suddenly grabbed Phantom in a hug, pulling him into the sky with her and twirling around. "Sweetie, you should ask more often! This is great!"

Johnny floated after them with a scowling Shadow behind him.

"In fact, _Johnny_ was just saying that our relationship is too boring," Kitty said. "He wants to spice things up. Invite more people in."

Johnny groaned. "I meant _girls_."

"How is that fair, huh?" Kitty said. "You get all the human girls you want and what do I get?"

"You seriously want this _kid_?" Johnny pointed at Phantom and Kitty held him tighter.

Phantom tried wriggling out of her hold.

"He's adorable," Kitty said. "Lemme keep him. C'mon. It's fair."

Her arms were iron around him. When Phantom tried going intangible her glow brightened.

Huh, he couldn't just phase through like usual.

What a distressing development.

Their bickering faded into the background as his vision focused in on her arms around him, on the way her aura had trapped his, like she'd dampened his powers with hers.

Like he'd been engulfed.

She'd eat him, drain him… keep him?

No, no, no.

Phantom didn't want to be _kept. _

Before he could work himself up into a panic, Tucker's voice was in his ear. "... not wearing the Fenton Phones today? Hello?"

"Tucker," Phantom said. "Wh-what's up?"

Kitty and Johnny stopped arguing to blink at him.

"We're on our way to Sam's house," Tucker said. "Need your help with something. You, uh, got time?"

"Yeah dude!" Phantom said. "I'll be right there."

Johnny raised an eyebrow and Phantom tapped at his ears, indicating the little green buds.

"This has been fun guys," Phantom said. "But I gotta go. My friends need my help."

Kitty gave him a squeeze that would have knocked the air out of his lungs if he were human.

"But I wanted to have some fun," she murmured, lips right up against his ear. She nuzzled her cheek against his hair.

"R-raincheck?" he said. He gave Johnny a look. Something that he hoped would easily be understood as: _save me!_

"C'mon babe let the kid go," Johnny said. "He's got things to do."

She abruptly released him.

"Fine," Kitty said. "Whatever."

Then she disappeared.

Johnny chuckled. "Don't take her too seriously," he said. "She's just playing around."

Phantom didn't respond. He knew Kitty was likely still floating _right here. _And he didn't want to say something that would piss her off.

She was scary enough when he was supposedly on her good side.

Johnny ruffled his hair. "Didn't realize I had to give you the birds and the bees along with everything else."

Phantom directed his gaze downward, trying to re-orient himself. They'd floated far from the starting point.

"Hey kid, c'mon," Johnny said. "Why the silent treatment?"

Phantom shrugged.

Johnny rolled his eyes. "Alright, fly away now baby ghost."

"I'm not a baby," Phantom said.

"To us you are," Johnny said.

Before Phantom could retort Johnny gave him a smirk and a wink.

Then he disappeared too.

oOo

They were all in Sam's room when he got there. Arguing about Dash.

"What did he do this time?" Phantom said.

They all kind of jolted, like the little flinch from an audience at a horror movie's jump scare.

"Sorry, shouldn't just pop in like that," Phantom said. "Uh, maybe next time I'll knock on the door? Float politely outside?"

"You do that," Sam said. "Or knock and then walk in through the door. Gives us a heads up without making me _get _up."

"Deal," Phantom said.

And he assumed his usual Zen pose in mid-air, purely out of habit. "So what did Dash do?"

"He's possessed," Fenton said. "By this like… nerd ghost?"

"Definitely a nerd," Tucker said. "From the 50s, from the way he talks."

"Whoa," Phantom said. "Karmic justice."

Fenton laughed. "See? We should just leave Dash to rot, he agrees with me."

"That wasn't him agreeing," Sam said.

"Leave Dash to rot?" Phantom said. "Yeah, I agree. Let's play some video games."

"Okay seriously," Tucker said. "Ignoring the victim in question what if this is just the start? Part one of body snatchers invading the town?"

"Most ghosts hate possessing people," Phantom said. "With good reason, feels icky."

"Really?" Fenton said. "Who have you possessed besides dad?"

Phantom fiddled with his fingers, glancing around the room as their eyes widened. "Uh, not really anyone else…"

"He's definitely lying," Sam said. "Wait, when did you posses Mr. Fenton?"

"That was a very short possession!" Phantom said. "It freaked Fenton out, he made me get out-"

"Who else did you possess?" Tucker said.

Phantom sighed. "Random people. Like at the mall and stuff. When I first discovered I could do it. And I was bored. I never stayed long. Like I said: feels icky."

"Wow," Sam said. "Any other experiments we should know about?"

Ghosts can't blush, Phantom thought. Ghosts can't blush.

"Um, no," he said.

Sam looked at him and snorted. "You should see your own face," she said. "You're guilty of something."

_Is_ it his fault if a female ghost grabs him and won't let go?

"I'm not guilty of anything," Phantom said. But he glanced at Fenton and thought, well…

The thing with Paulina _had _been his fault. And not paying enough attention to the dragon amulet. And-

"Anyway, do you know how to exorcise a ghost?" Tucker said.

"Oh, that's easy," Phantom said. "I can just grab the ghost and pull it out."

"You've done that?" Fenton said. "When are you doing all this stuff?"

Phantom rolled his eyes and let himself float upside down. "I have a lot of free time, Fenton."

_Especially now that you don't want to hang out with me anymore_, Phantom thought.

Tucker clapped his hands together, "Then let's just grab the ghost now! I bet we'll find Dash at the Nasty Burger."

"What makes you say that?" Fenton said.

"They've got the best milkshakes," Tucker said. "Duh."

Milkshakes?

Tucker pointed at Phantom. "Follow us invisibly and then just pull the ghost out."

He pointed at Fenton. "You still have that ghost vacuum cup thing?"

"You mean the Fenton Thermos?"

"Yeah, that. Bring it so we can trap the ghost."

"We don't have to trap it," Phantom said. "Unless it's hostile."

"Wow, I have to agree with Phantom," Sam said. "Let's be humane."

Tucker groaned. "Whatever let's just-" He blinked. Gagged. "Save. Dash. Ugh."

Fenton made a face. "I still say we don't have to."

"We can't condone body snatching!" Tucker said. "There's a line, Danny. That line shan't be crossed. Have you _not _been paying attention at the movies?"

Fenton threw his hands in the air. "I need to re- watch the stupid movies, Tuck! I don't remember them!"

There was an awkward pause.

"Danny-" Sam started.

"Don't," Fenton said. "Look, I'm sorry-"

"Nah man, _I'm _sorry," Tucker said. "I keep forgetting-"

Phantom glanced at his hands to make sure they were still visible.

"Let's just go, okay?" Fenton said. "Phantom?"

He was still visible. "Yeah?"

"Can I go with you? Invisibly and everything?"

Another awkward pause.

Fenton was looking directly at him. Phantom's eyes widened as he processed the request.

He was taking too long to answer. Fenton was frowning. He opened his mouth, maybe to take it back.

"Y-yeah!" Phantom said. "We'll just follow them. Yeah, you can come with me. Yeah."

_I'll have to carry him_, Phantom thought. _But Fenton knows that. We've done this before…_

"So we'll meet you guys there," Fenton said. "Alright?"

"Alright," Tucker said. "And the thermos?"

Fenton pulled it out of his backpack. "I always have it with me these days."

Tucker nodded.

Then Phantom put a tentative hand on Fenton's shoulder. He made them both invisible.

Fenton shivered.

"S-see you in a bit," Fenton said.

Then Phantom was pulling them both through the ceiling, holding Fenton firmly against his chest and grinning into his hair.

It had been too long.

oOo

They were sort of floating against the ceiling while they waited for Sam and Tucker to show up.

Danny frowned at the way Phantom was cuddling him, but there was very little he could do and nothing he could say.

He didn't want to be overheard or anything.

Tucker had been right about Dash. Or, about the ghost in his body. He _was _at the Nasty Burger.

And he was buying milkshakes for everybody.

"That's a much better name for it," Dash was saying. "And they taste better too. Maybe there's more milk in the shake now!"

"Uh huh," Star said. "When was the last time you had one?"

"I couldn't tell ya."

Wait a minute. Why were they waiting on Tucker and Sam? Why not just grab the ghost right now?

Or was Tucker going to try and get Dash out of people's view? Ask him to step outside?

They should have gone over the plan in more detail.

Phantom gave him a particularly tight squeeze and Danny huffed. "Knock it off!" he whispered.

He glared at the heads under them, daring someone to hear him.

No one reacted.

"Sorry," Phantom whispered. "I missed you."

"Sure you did."

"Fenton-"

Dash glanced up, a puzzled frown on his face.

"Shh!"

Dash's eyes were glowing. He was looking right at them.

"Can he see us?" Danny whispered.

Dash stood and looked pointedly from them to the door.

"Sorry, friends," Dash said. "Gotta split."

They all said their goodbyes and Dash grinned at them. "Catch ya on the flip side!" he said.

Then he looked right at Danny. And made a motion with his hands. Like "Follow me."

"B-but I can't see other ghosts when _they're_ invisible," Phantom whispered.

"Have you ever tried?"

"Well, no but-"

They followed Dash outside and hovered over him as he strolled behind a dumpster.

"Alright-y," Dash said. "Unhand that boy, you filthy poltergeist!"

Fenton could feel his skin warm up as Phantom dropped their invisibility. He pulled a hand in front of his face to double check though.

Yep, wiggling fingers all accounted for.

"Who are you calling a poltergeist, puppet master?" Phantom retorted. "You get out of _that _human and I'll let this one go, sound fair?"

"Hey!" Danny said. "Get closer to the ground if you're gonna drop me!"

"This human was a bully," Not-Dash said. "He's getting his just desserts."

"I cannot argue that," Phantom sighed.

"But that one is an innocent nerd," the ghost continued. "You should let him go."

"Hey! Who said I was a nerd?" Danny said.

"The entire football team?" Phantom said.

"Ugh," Danny said. "Just put me down and grab the ghost."

"Yessir, Fenton sir," Phantom said. "I live to please."

Danny stood with his hand ready on the Fenton Thermos lid, just in case Dash's ghost came flying at him.

Phantom flew at Dash and there was a flash of light before he bounced back and hit the ground.

Danny squinted at them. Was the ghost still inside Dash?

"You're holding pretty tight," Phantom said. "How are you doing that?"

"It's easy to hold onto a body when the human isn't here," the ghost said, grinning wide with Dash's perfect teeth.

"Wh-what do you mean he isn't there?" Danny said.

Dash sighed. "I didn't want you to know," he said. "I thought I could pass for human."

"Well, he knows," Phantom said. "Where's the human?"

"Why should I tell _you_, you rotten bully?" The ghost glared at Phantom and put his fists up. "I'll fight you, this human has guns for miles. I'm not afraid!"

Phantom blinked. He shared a look with Danny. "He really _is_ a nerd."

"Um, Phantom wasn't bullying me," Danny said. "Uh, so I don't need to be rescued…"

Not-Dash flinched. "Phantom?" He said. "As in _The _Phantom? The dragon tamer?"

He scrutinized Phantom. "Black and white jumpsuit, white hair… but I thought you'd be bigger…"

"Excuse me?" Phantom said. "What are you talking about?"

"You're the Phantom," the ghost said. "Word spreads in the ghost zone. Of the baby ghost, not even a year dead, who protects Amity from dragons and wayward ghosts who might harm the citizens!"

Danny laughed. "Wow, you make him sound like a superhero."

"He _is _a hero," the ghost said.

Then he was kneeling reverently.

"I have immense respect for you Mr. Phantom," he said. "I'm sorry for stepping through your territory."

Phantom scratched his head. "Um, thanks. What's your name?"

"Sidney Pointdexter, at your service," the ghost said. "I've been haunting Casper High for years and years."

"Nice to finally know your name," Danny said.

Sidney grinned at him. "Shucks," he said. "I've never met a human so friendly to ghosts."

Phantom put an arm around Danny's shoulder. "Oh, he's the friendliest."

Danny shrugged him off. "Could you not?"

Phantom clasped his hands behind his back and rocked on his heels, directing his attention back towards Sidney/Dash. "So where's the human bully? If he's not in the body where is he?"

"He's in the mirror, sir," Sidney said. "Living through the worst years of my life."

Danny whistled. "Literal karmic justice."

"Would you mind, uh, letting him out of the mirror?" Phantom said.

Sidney tilted his head. "I don't think that's possible."

"Why not?"

"I just don't know how to do it?" Sidney looked apologetic. "It's never occured to me, you see. Why would I let a bully go?"

"Right, right," Phantom said.

His head tilted. He nodded. "Already found Dash. We're outside. Behind the dumpster."

He was talking into the Fenton Phones.

Danny had left his pair at home. He hadn't been wearing them lately.

"Some of my friends are going to join us, that okay Sidney?" Phantom said.

"Sounds swell," Sidney said. "More the merrier!"

And he grinned when he saw Tucker. "Of course the Phantom would know the best people," Sidney said. "It's great to see you again!"

Tucker was puzzled. "Great to see you too, Dash…"

"He knows we know," Danny said. "His name is Sidney."

"So plan A was a bust then?" Sam said.

"Yep."

"Dash is trapped in a mirror," Phantom said. "Sidney is very sorry for doing it, but Dash deserved it. That right?"

"Oh yes sir!" Sidney said. "You should have seen what that scoundrel was up to!"

Danny cringed, remembering the way his arms and legs had started to grow numb in the cramped locker.

"What kind of mirror are we talking about?" Tucker said. "A cursed mirror? Is it full length or, like, compact? Wait, not the bathroom mirrors?! Bloody Mary style?!"

Sidney laughed. "I'll show you," he said. "It's in my old locker."

And just like that Dash's body was glowing. He floated. "Who am I carrying?" He said.

"You can still use your powers?!" Phantom said. "I couldn't use them at all when I was possessing people."

"Everything takes practice," Sidney said. "You really haven't been dead a full year yet?"

Phantom scratched his head. "Almost a year…"

"More on that later," Tucker said. "I've always wanted to fly!"

"C'mon pal," Sidney said. "I got you!"

Tucker allowed Dash to pick him up. It was the weirdest thing Danny had ever seen. Dash and Tucker, smiling at each other…

Just creepy.

"I'll get there the human way, thank you very much," Sam said. "Meet you all there."

Danny watched her walk away and wondered: Should he go with her?

But Phantom had his arms around him in a flash. "Race you there!" he said.

"Off the line!" Sidney said.

And then they were in the air, wind rushing by so fast Danny could hear it whistling.

And he wondered if Phantom could hear how fast his heart was beating.

It really was amazing, being able to fly. Even if he _was_ just baggage being carried along for the ride. Danny loved it.

But he wouldn't tell Phantom that. Or that he'd missed him too.

What would be the point?

"I like your personality too," Phantom whispered.

"What?"

"Your personality," Phantom repeated. "Not just the… you being me, thing. Cause you aren't me. You're your own person. A new person."

Danny closed his eyes. The wind was too cold, he decided. His eyes were stinging.

"You're just saying what you think I want to hear," Danny said.

"No I mean it!" Phantom said. "I'm sorry if you misunderstood me, that time-"

"I didn't misunderstand," Danny said.

He opened his eyes.

They were hovering outside Casper High. "Did they already go inside?"

"Looks like I lost the race," Phantom said.

"Get in there," Danny said.

"I just wanted to say-"

"We can talk about this later."

"Fenton-"

"_Later_," he repeated.

Phantom sighed. "Later. Fine."

And they flew inside.

Cause they had to save Dash. Ugh.


	27. Chapter 27

"Behold!" Sidney Pointdexter said, pointing dramatically at a busted old locker. "Locker 724!"

With a flourish he keyed in the combination and threw the door open, revealing an oval mirror attached at the back.

It was weird seeing Dash's body act so… eager to please. To see his face, and his stupid square jaw, looking at him expactantly. Respectfully.

Actually it wasn't that unfamiliar, but Phantom had only glimpsed Dash's hero worship from far away. Up till now he'd avoided the teen like the plague.

_But this isn't Dash anyway_, Phantom reminded himself. _Sidney Pointdexter. Pointdexter. Pointdexter. _

"How does it work?" Tucker said. His hand hovered over the mirror, but he hesitated to touch it. "It's a portal?"

"Yes," Pointdexter said. "But it's safe to touch, my negro friend! It only activates when I tell it to."

"Oh wow," Fenton said. "We gotta catch you up on, uh, modern politics."

Tucker laughed. "Hope you didn't call Kwan… uh… Danny what did they call Asians?"

Accidentally, Phantom answered at the same time as Fenton. In the exact same tone, they both said: "Y-yellow?"

Phantom snapped his jaw shut so hard he imagined they could all hear the firm _click _of his teeth.

He stared at his boots and noted they were on the ground. He wasn't even glowing.

He wasn't glowing?

There was a moment of silence.

Pointdexter chuckled. "Jinks!" He said. "You both owe me a sodapop."

"Th-that's not how…" Fenton cleared his throat. "Sidney, could you help us get in there?"

"Oh no," Pointdexter said. "I wouldn't want to send humans in there who didn't deserve it. They'd be trapped."

"But you come and go whenever you want," Tucker said. "Is it safe for ghosts?"

"Well sure." Dash directed a winning smile at Phantom, all glittering teeth.

Not Dash. Pointdexter. "Especially a powerful ghost like the Phantom? Sure, he'd be king of the place."

"If I can't get Dash out," Phantom said. "Sh-should I…"

He looked at Fenton.

Fenton, who was taller than him now, but still shorter than Tucker. Fenton blinked at him with those familiar blue eyes.

Phantom didn't think of them as his own eyes anymore. Especially since he'd never been fond of his own reflection in the first place. He'd thought of himself as un-photogenic.

Not ugly, but boring. Unimpressive.

Fenton didn't seem unimpressive anymore.

"What do you want me to _do?_" Phantom said.

Phantom wondered if it was Fenton's growth spurt that made him seem… better than he was when Phantom was him. Or something else entirely?

Because Fenton was something else now. Someone else.

And Phantom didn't want to let him down again.

"If you can't get him out…" Fenton regarded him with furrowed brows. It was a look Phantom had seen on Jazz many times.

As if she were trying to read his mind.

"Then you come back," Fenton said. "And we'll regroup. Come up with a plan. Or something."

"Okay," Phantom said. "Sounds good."

He glanced at Tucker and Pointdexter. Then he slammed his palm on the surface of the mirror.

Nothing happened.

Dash laughed at him.

_Pointdexter_ laughed. "There's more to it than that!"

"_What _more? What do I do?"

"You've never gone through a portal before?"

Phantom winced. "A portal went through _me_ once."

Fenton winced too, a beat after.

"Just make yourself fuzzy," Pointdexter said. "Like strolling through a wall. Don't need no doorway."

"Oh," Phantom said. Allowing his hand to go intangible, he poked it through the mirror.

It wasn't like sticking his hand through a wall.

A wall wouldn't _pull _at him.

It felt like…

Getting sucked into the Fenton thermos.

Phantom's eyes widened. "W-wait," he wanted to say. "Is there a mirror on the other side?"

But there was no room to speak.

The last thing he heard was Dash Baxter's condescending voice. "Oh, baby ghost…"

Then everything was green for a second.

Just for a second.

Blindingly green.

Then it was dark. And cramped.

Except for three slivers of light. Like…

Like sitting in a locker.

"Shit!"

Phantom elbowed the door.

"H-hey! Let me out!"

He could hear people laughing.

"Hey!" He repeated. "C'mon guys!"

Wait a minute. He was a ghost.

He wasn't trapped.

Phantom took a deep breath (not that he needed it!) and decided to become intangible. To fly out of the locker.

But nothing happened.

"Thinks he's special!" He heard someone say.

"Baby ghost." A girl. She almost sounded like Kitty.

"I'm not a baby!" Phantom shouted. "Let me out!"

They continued to laugh. He tried to squint through the locker slits, but someone moved in front of the light.

He tried to summon ecto-plasm into his clenched fists. Tried to punch the door open.

The teenagers in the hallway continued to laugh. It was cartoonish, the way they kept going. And it seemed like the crowd was growing. Voices mixing into each other.

"Just a sad echo," someone whispered. "A clone. A shadow."

His voice was deep. Like an adult. An old man.

"A parasite," Vlad Masters said.

"Fuck off!" Phantom said. "It's a trick. This was a trap."

"Duh," Dash said. "You're a real idiot, Fenturd."

The locker door opened so abruptly Phantom fell out.

Dash caught him.

"Phantom!" Dash crouched in front of him, hands on his shoulders, and urgently whispered. "Are you here to rescue me?"

"Wh-what?"

Dash didn't look right. His hair was gray. His whole face was washed out.

Black and white.

"They're fags!" Someone shouted.

Dash's eyes widened.

"Eeeew," the crowd chorused. "Get a room!"

Phantom glanced around, straightening and throwing Dash's hands off him.

Everyone looked the same. Washed out. Black and white.

"L-like Pleasantville," Phantom said, stepping towards the crowd.

He glanced around for a crack in the circle, legs tensing to make a run for it.

A guy in a black leather jacket pushed Phantom back towards Dash. "Nice outfit," he said. "Auditioning for ballet? Huh, fag?"

"Wh-what?" Phantom found himself sandwiched between the dude and Dash.

He glanced back and noted that Dash was being hemmed in on all sides. They were both being kept against the lockers.

"It's so _form _fitting," a girl said. She had a high ponytail and a large hoop skirt. "Your boyfriend _loves_ it, huh?"

"He's a superhero!" Dash shouted. "If you saw the shit he could do-"

Leather jacket smirked. His hair was as inky black as his jacket and full of so much hair gel it was practically dripping.

"Let's see what he can do then," he said. "Show us a trick, baby hero."

Phantom gulped.

This was not going according to plan.

But nothing ever did.


	28. Chapter 28

Sam was pissed. "You let him go in there alone?!"

"He's a ghost," Tucker said. "He can jump back out whenever he wants!"

Sam glared at Sidney. "That so?"

"Yes ma'am!" Sidney said. He straightened out Dash's Letterman jacket and ran his fingers through his blond locks, admiring Dash's reflection in the mirror. "The Phantom is safe. But the bully will be outnumbered."

"So it'll take a while for him to find Dash in the first place," Danny said.

Sidney snapped Dash's fingers. Danny couldn't help but think of Phantom's quip earlier. _Puppet Master. _

"Exacto-mundo," Sidney said.

"The heck are we supposed to do in the meantime, huh?" Sam said.

"I owe a special somebody a slurg." Sidney winked at Danny.

"Miiilk. Shaaake," Tucker said.

Sidney laughed. Dash had a surprisingly high pitched laugh. Kind of scratchy. "Yes! And we can gst fries. You want fries, Danny?"

It was still weird hearing his first name come out of Dash's mouth. It took a second of them both staring at each other before Danny remembered he'd been asked a question.

He gulped. "Uh… fries as friends?"

Sidney blinked. He looked at Tucker.

Tucker stage whispered. "Sloooow."

Sidney nodded solemnly. "Friendship fries."

Sam stuck her hands in the locker and unhooked the mirror from its hook on the wall.

"Wh-what-" Sidney started.

"I'm not leaving it here," she said.

Then she put it in her spider backpack, careful to wrap it in a black sweater.

oOo

Sidney bought two milkshakes, forcing Tucker to share with Sam and Danny to share with Sidney.

Tucker smirked at Danny from across the table.

Danny kicked him, but Tucker just briefly winced and then started giggling.

Sam aggressively chewed on fries. There was a large basket of them at the center of the table.

She used one to point at Sidney.

"Where do you go when Phantom gets back with Dash?" Sam said.

Sidney shrugged, not-so-casually throwing an arm over the booth behind Danny.

"I'll float around," Sidney said. "In my natural form, I suppose?"

Sam tightened her hold on the purple spider backpack, which she'd kept on her lap.

"You won't get sucked back into the mirror?"

Tucker and Danny both straightened, eyes widening, and Danny reached for his utility belt.

Sidney, by contrast, just laughed.

And laughed.

It wasn't a sinister laugh. More like a fit of uncontrollable giggles.

As if someone were tickling him.

He laughed so hard milkshake spurted out his nose and Danny automatically scrambled to give the guy a napkin.

"The mirror traps _bullies_," Sidney finally gasped. "_I'm _safe and sound. And with my friends!"

Abandoning his earlier nonchalance, Sidney dropped a heavy arm around Danny's shoulders to emphasize the word 'friends.'

It didn't occur to Danny to shrug him off. Instead he marveled at how warm Dash's arm was. How tall the guy was.

It felt very different from the hugs he got from Phantom.

Different, too, from the way Dash liked to shove him up against walls and locker doors.

Sam groaned. "Whatever. If Phantom isn't flying out of this haunted mirror by _tomorrow _I'm holding _you _responsible, Dexter-dork."

Sidney pouted. "Pointdexter."

"Whatever." Sam grabbed Tucker by the elbow and pulled him out of the booth with her. "Enjoy your date, Danny."

"H-hey!" Danny said. "I don't… I didn't… fuck you, Sam!"

"Fuck you too," she said, rolling her eyes.

Tucker chuckled nervously as she dragged him away. "S-see you guys later, haha…"

Sidney seemed pleased by this development. He cranked up Dash's 20 watt smile and said, "Want to see what's playing at the drive in?"

Danny scooted out from under his arm and out of the booth. "You mean… the movie theater."

Sidney followed him out of the Nasty Burger. "Sure, sure!" He said. "On me."

oOo

They saw a science fiction movie. Danny picked it because it seemed like the safest non-date movie available.

Plus it was badass and they both loved it.

Sidney was so engrossed in the story he even forgot about putting moves on Danny.

Which was a _good _thing, Danny reminded himself.

Yet he was oddly disappointed?

But how ridiculous would it be to date a ghost? Especially since Danny didn't even know what Sidney _looked _like.

"Hey Sidney," Danny said as they were walking out of the theater.

"Yeah?" Sidney grabbed Danny's hand.

Dash's hand was large and warm. But what was Sidney's like?

"Are you stuck in Dash's body or can you come out?"

Sidney blinked. "Come out?"

"Just so I can see you," Danny said. "You know, the real you."

Sidney frowned. "I'm not uh… I can't right now."

"How come?"

"Can't leave a body unattended."

"You can't?"

Sidney sighed. "Hold on." He tugged on Danny's hand.

Danny allowed the other boy to lead him to a bench.

They sat down. "For a ghost," Sidney said. "Bodies are rare. Like… like planes."

"Okay…"

"If one is left empty someone else will want to take it," Sidney said. "I don't want… to lose my spot. Until I have to."

"When Phantom brings Dash back."

"Right," Sidney said. "Yeah."

Sidney squeezed Danny's hand. "Besides," he continued. "I'm not… handsome."

Danny laughed. "Says who?"

"Everyone who has ever met me," Sidney said.

Danny frowned.

He thought for a second. "You were born in the 50s right?"

"Technically I was born in the late 30s," Sidney said. "1938."

"Wow. Okay well. Um." Danny surprised himself by placing his free hand over Sidney's, effectively cradling the bigger hand. "So it's like… well my friend Sam says standards of, uh, beauty kind of change? Over time?"

"Standards of beauty?" Sidney echoed.

"Yeah so like stuff that was maybe ugly in the past… like…" Danny scrambled to remember the examples Sam had given. "Oh like being hairless!"

Sidney smiled. "Being hairless is lame!" He announced.

Danny grinned. "It _was. _But now it's considered prettier."

"Really?"

"Really."

Sidney used his free hand to pull Dash's shirt away from his body and peek down at his own chest.

At _Dash's _chest.

"Huh," he said. "Smooth as a baby's bottom."

Danny laughed, releasing the hand he was holding and scooting slightly away.

Sidney scooted with him, pressing their legs together. "Do you like hairless?"

"Um, yeah," Danny said.

"Do you like height?"

Danny gulped. "W-well, I don't care about height. Short guys are handsome too."

"Do you like men?" Sidney said.

Danny stared at his knees. "Probably," he said.

"Do you like women?" Sidney said. "Cause I thought I liked women. I think I still do."

"Me too," Danny said. "There's a word for that."

"There is?"

"Yeah. Bisexual."

"Bisexual," Sidney repeated. "I like it. Okie dokie! I'm bisexual."

"Me too," Danny said.

Sidney grinned. "Well, don't we make a great pair then!"

"But…" Danny thought about what Sam had said at the Nasty Burger. "Will you leave when Dash gets back?"

Sidney huffed irritably. "The Phantom will make me return this body to its bully."

"I know," Danny said. "But you can still stick around right? As a ghost?"

Sidney glanced up at the sky. He said, "I'm actually not sure."

"Why aren't you sure?"

"I've never done this before."

"What? But you made it seem like-"

Sidney shrugged.

Danny sighed. "Okay. We'll just have to wait and see."

Sidney leaned forward and before Danny knew it he was being wrapped in a hug.

"Let's not bash ears," Sidney said. "I've never felt this way before. Can I just… can we walk out? Just for a little while? I don't know how long this will last."

Danny tried to relax into the hug. Tentatively, he raised his arms to squeeze the bigger boy back.

"Does that mean boyfriend and boyfriend?"

"Yeah! Wow. Yeah."

"Okay," Danny said.

Sidney leaned back from the hug to study Danny's face. "Really?"

"Yeah really."

"Hot dog!" He leapt up. "Let's see another film then! One with necking in it!"

Danny stood up too and Sidney grabbed his hand again.

"Okay," Danny said.

"Whoo!"

So they saw a romantic comedy.

And Danny tried not to picture Tucker laughing at him.


	29. Chapter 29

The school was identical to the Casper High Phantom had gotten to know from afar. Though he _had _briefly attended as an actual student, most of his memories were of wondering the halls, invisible and envious, and watching everyone go about their lives without him.

Now he was _very _visible.

"Mr. Phantom," a teacher said. "How have you fallen so far behind?"

The students giggled.

"W-well I, uh-" Phantom stood in front of the chalkboard, confused and helpless.

"He's in the wrong place!" A cheerleader said. "This kid is still in middle school."

"I graduated middle school!" Phantom said.

"Sure you did, short stack." The guy with Elvis Presley hair had his feet up on Dash's desk.

Dash was covering his face with his hands.

_Thanks a lot, Dash_, Phantom thought.

"Sit down," the teacher said. "You clearly have some catching up to do."

"Or _you _have some teaching to do," Phantom said.

The students laughed. Dash peeked out from between his fingers.

The teacher sighed. "Take a seat, Phantom."

oOo

There was no way off campus. Outside the windows there was just… a gray void. Open the front doors and… well, more void.

Phantom stood at the ledge and wondered what would happen if he jumped.

Dash pulled him away from the door and slammed it shut. "Are you crazy?!"

"I want to get out of here!"

"And you think I don't?"

A chorus of voices sang " G" behind them every time Dash and Phantom spoke to each other.

When Phantom had punched one of the singers, the first time, they all dog piled on top of him.

It had lasted for _hours_ and he would have suffocated if he were alive.

Now he just glared at them.

Dash acted as if he couldn't even hear it.

"Look what if your powers-" Dash started.

"They're still gone!" Phantom punched a locker. "I'm a shitty fucking hero, okay? Look either jumping is a way out or it isn't. _You _don't lose anything if I go-"

"I'll lose _you!_" Dash said.

"Oooh," a cheerleader said. The crowd around them was growing. "Trouble in paradise?"

Dash facepalmed.

"Guess your twink doesn't want you," the greaser said. "You're so handsome too! What could be missing?"

"I'm not gay!" Phantom said. Then he glanced at Dash. "There's obviously nothing wrong with being gay, but-"

Dash still had a hand over his face. Specifically he was shielding his eyes. He added another hand over his mouth.

It was a new habit he'd developed, Phantom guessed.

"And so many women throw themselves at you," the cheerleader said. "Mister town hero. Oh Righteous Phantom. Dragon Slayer and Rock Band Destroyer!"

She draped herself over him as she spoke, with an arm over his shoulder and a hand cupping his face.

The girl was tall and the way she cradled him reminded Phantom of Kitty. He glared at her.

"Did you tell your boyfriend about those girls?" Greaser said. "The way you flew away like a startled bird?"

Dash tried walking away, but Greaser had him in a headlock.

"Shut up," Phantom mumbled.

He knew it was pointless. It was like this place could read their minds.

The greaser pulled Dash's hands away from his face. Dash kept his eyes tightly shut.

"You know that idiot covered his room in drawings of you?" The cheerleader said. "He paid the art club kids-"

"Shut up!" Dash said.

"So sad when your love won't notice you," the greaser chuckled. "But now he's right here, buddy! Look at him seeing you!"

Dash elbowed the dude in the gut.

The guy didn't react.

The cheerleader giggled. "I love a dysfunctional couple."

"I love a bad movie as much as the next guy," Phantom said. "But you guys seriously need a new script."

The little snort of laughter Dash let out at that was satisfying, at least.

The girl stomped on Phantom's foot.

But he didn't feel a thing. Pain is in your head, he knew. Pain doesn't exist when you're dead.

"You never know when to shut up, Fentard," she said.

Dash frowned.

The bell rang.

"Time for lunch!" The cheerleader trilled. "Come along boys."

oOo

The cafeteria was the worst place in the school, Phantom decided.

The students were caught in an eternal food fight; throwing milk cartons, tomatoes, sloppy joes and dripping fish sandwiches in every direction.

It was disgusting.

"Goddammit!" Dash tried shielding his face with a lunch tray, but he couldn't protect his hair. He tried brushing it with a spork. "It's melting my hair gel!"

The meat was scalding hot and stung on impact.

"That's not a hairbrush, little mermaid," Phantom quipped.

"God! Would you please take this seriously?!" Dash said. "Why are you like this?!"

"Why are you so concerned about your hair?"

Phantom could feel something dripping onto his nose. He pushed his own white bangs out of his face impatiently.

"You're just like him!" Dash stared at him with wide eyes. "Why are you just like him?"

Phantom opened his mouth and accidentally caught a pickle.

He gagged.

"Fuck!" Dash grabbed him from behind and punched him in the stomach.

It _hurt_. Dammit. "Get off me!" Phantom said.

He had swallowed the pickle whole and his throat ached with it.

_It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt._

If Phantom repeated it enough times he could walk off anything.

Dash let him go.

A lunch tray hit him in the back of the head.

It didn't hurt!

Dash pulled him under a table.

"Phantom!" Dash said. "I think I'm going crazy, seriously."

"That's what this place is designed for," Phantom said.

"You aren't the way I thought you would be." Dash cut a sad figure, hunching his huge frame under a cafeteria table with tomato sauce dripping off his hair.

His face crumpled and Phantom realized the guy was crying.

"Never meet your heroes," Phantom muttered.

"There it is again!" Dash said. "You're just as bad as them!"

"I resent that," Phantom said. "Also _you're _one to talk!"

"I know! I know! Shit." Dash took his jacket off and smothered his face in it.

"... feel stupid," Dash mumbled.

Phantom snatched the jacket away from him.

"Say that again," Phantom said.

"I don't like feeling stupid!" Dash said.

"Then don't _be _stupid?"

"Fuck off!" Dash stood so abruptly he knocked their table over.

He marched through the flying food and got absolutely covered in mayo and mystery meat, but the guy just ignored it and kept going.

Then he was out of the cafeteria.

"That simple, huh?" Phantom said.

_Guess I should follow Dash's example, _Phantom thought.

Then: _Ew. I hate this place._


	30. Chapter 30

Danny avoided the bus to school in the morning. Instead he asked Jazz to drive him.

She spent the car ride talking about their sibling bond and how she had been worried about the way he'd been "emotionally distant" since the accident.

He managed to apologize without rolling his eyes.

They beat the bus to school and he quickly grabbed what he needed from his locker and high tailed it to first period.

Danny got there before Tucker and Da- Sidney.

He chose a seat in the back corner and propped up his textbook, effectively hiding until class started.

When he put it down Tucker spotted him and they made eye contact. Tucker raised an eyebrow and Danny shrugged.

Dash- _Sidney_ stood up just as the teacher was about to speak.

"There you are!" Sidney said, walking to the back of the classroom.

He smiled at the girl who was sitting next to Danny.

"Can you trade with me?" Sidney said.

The girl stood with a huff and stomped over to the seat Sidney had vacated, avoiding eye contact and glaring at her shoes.

"Wait-" Danny said.

Sidney sat. "I've always been lacking apple butter, but I'd try and write a ballad for _you _if you asked me too."

Danny opened his mouth. Then he closed it.

The teacher cleared her throat. "If you're quite finished Mr. Baxter."

"Sorry ma'am!" Sidney said. "I think your class is… uh… stimulating!"

"Then let me get on with it, would you?"

"Yes'm!"

oOo

When class ended Sidney grabbed Danny's backpack and his books.

"A boyfriend should carry these right?" He said with a grin.

"Uh, but we're both…" Danny started. Then he sighed. "Well, whatever."

He glanced at Tucker, who looked gobsmacked. "Boyfriend?!"

"Uh-"

"Yessir!" Sidney through an arm around Danny's shoulders. "We're boyfriends now!"

Everyone in the classroom was staring at them now. Students who were halfway out the door came back in to listen.

"Congratulations?" Tucker said.

He looked at Sidney. He looked at Danny.

Danny wished he could see his own face, in that moment. Whatever Tucker saw was apparently hilarious.

Tucker laughed so hard, he started crying. He doubled over and slapped a desk.

"C-congratulations bro!" Tucker said. "You've seduced _Dash Baxter_."

"Shut up!" Danny shrugged off Dash's arm- and it _was _still Dash's arm- and rushed out of the classroom.

Sidney and Tucker followed.

"You done goofed," Tucker said, still chuckling.

"I did?" Sidney said. "Wait, Danny-"

"I'll see you later!" Danny said.

He rushed to his next class.

Sidney followed with his backpack and books. "Wait! Your stuff!"

And Tucker laughed all the harder.

oOo

Tucker cornered him in the library during lunch period.

"H-how did you know-"

"Where else would you hide?" Tucker said. "The roof?"

Danny pouted. "They locked the door to the stairwell…"

Tucker nodded and sat down beside him.

They were sitting in the biography section of the library. Everyone's least favorite, Danny had figured.

"So either you're an evil genius," Tucker said. "Or you royally fucked up."

"An evil genius?"

"Yeah," Tucker said. "What better way to humiliate Dash than to publically date him while he's gone? Then you could publically dump him when he gets back and anything he might try to say would just be seen as him trying to save face."

"Uh…"

"_Or_…?"

Danny drew his knees up against his chest. "I royally fucked up," he said.

"Thought so." Tucker ruffled his hair. "Oh what are we gonna do with you?"

"Tuck?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm bisexual."

Tucker removed his hand from Danny's head.

Danny stared at his knees.

"Is that a new thing? Or just something that never came up?" Tucker said.

Danny looked up.

Tucker looked at him. Not with confusion or annoyance. Just…

He waggled his brows. "You make out with anyone without telling me?"

"Huh?"

"You look at _porn _without sharing?"

"Sh-sharing?!"

"I've never looked at gay porn." Tucker solemnly took off his red beret and clutched it to his chest. "But for my _best friend _I'd sit through at least twenty minutes of research-"

_"Tucker!" _Danny snatched the beret from him and shoved it towards his mouth.

His friend started to laugh, but covered his own mouth with a hand and swallowed it down.

Danny kept the beret in his hand and realized this was the first time he'd seen Tucker without it.

Tucker had a little afro going on, scraggly and solid at the same time.

"Sorry, sorry," Tucker said. "Okay serious time. I'm glad you told me."

"Er, thanks," Danny said.

"No for real. Sorry for teasing you."

Danny didn't know what to say to that. So he put the beret over his own head, pulling it down so that it covered his eyes.

"That's a _great _look," Tucker said.

"Shut up."

There was a moment of blessed silence. Or sort of silence. All Danny could hear was turning pages and shuffling feet.

"So… you _like _Dash?"

Danny shoved the beret up, freeing his eyes to glare at Tucker.

"I mean his face!" Tucker corrected.

"_Fine_, I like his stupid face. It's a handsome face," Danny said.

Tucker grinned. "What about _my_-"

Danny threw the beret at him.

"Not your type. Got it." Tucker re-adjusted the hat so that it was neatly on his head again.

"What about Sa-"

"Can we _not_ do this?"

Tucker held up his hands in surrender, still grinning like this was the best joke he'd ever heard.

"Actually I want to ask _you _something," Danny said.

"Go for it."

"Before the accident..." Danny glanced around them, suddenly paranoid about an invisible eavesdropper.

But Phantom was in the mirror. Probably.

He tried again. "Did Phantom. I mean, did I…"

Tucker leaned forward. "The suspense is killing me…"

"Ugh, I just want to know if he kissed anyone," Danny said. "Er, if I did…"

"While he was you?" Tucker said. "Nah, he pinned after Paulina for years and hardly said two words to her. He's a never been kissed virgin. And so are you? Unless-"

"So am I," Danny quickly said.

So Phantom's first kiss had happened… while he was Phantom.

That was a relief, for some reason.

"He kissed Sam," Danny blurted.

Tucker's eyes widened. "Phantom did?!"

"Yeah."

"When?!"

"I'm not sure," Danny said. "But Sam told me they did."

"I knew it!" Tucker said. "You guys _were_ fighting over her."

"Uh-"

"So this is your rebound?"

Danny stood. "It's not too late to eat, is it?"

"Aw c'mon," Tucker remained sitting, reaching up to tug at his arm. "Why are you guys always leaving me out of the drama?"

"Because it's just a joke to you!"

Tucker let go of his arm.

"Nevermind," Danny said. "I'll… I'm glad I told you. But-"

"I get it," Tucker said. "It's whatever."

"I'm sorry-"

"No, you're right," Tucker said. "I'm just in the audience."

He grinned all the wider, looking up at Danny from the floor. "I'm just a side character, laughing it up."

"Tucker-"

"Have fun with Sidney," Tucker said. "Good luck explaining it to Sam. And everyone else."

And he pulled out his phone, hunching over the screen in a way that closed the door on the conversation.


	31. Chapter 31

The hallways were empty. The cafeteria doors slammed shut behind Phantom, suddenly sealing off the noise of shouting students and splattering lunch trays.

The silence was eerie. The gray hallways echoed Phantom's footsteps as he walked. A lightbulb flickered out overhead.

It was his first time alone since he'd entered the mirror.

"Dash?"

A bathroom door slammed open to his left and Phantom flinched.

Dash leaned back against the door, smirking.

"Feel better after taking a dump?" Phantom said.

Dash scowled. "I wasn't- we can't even do that here!"

"If there's a will," Phantom said.

"Shut up." Dash pointed an accusing finger at him. "I've figured it out!

Phantom frowned at him.

Dash huffed impatiently. "Ask me what I figured out, man."

Phantom rubbed at his eyes. "That's okay," he said. "I think I'd rather get pelted with peas than-"

"You look like _Fenton_," Dash said. "You're practically his twin. I'd never gotten a close look at you before, but now it's obvious."

Phantom swallowed.

"It all makes sense now," Dash continued. "Your shitty personality, the jumpsuit- just like his parents!"

"Yeah, but-"

Squaring his shoulders, Dash proudly announced. "You're his grandpa!"

Phantom blinked. "Wha?"

"Don't even try to deny it!" Dash jabbed him in the chest. "You're a Fenton! Admit it."

Phantom took a deep breath. "Dash."

The idiot had a smug look on his face, arms crossed in front of him.

"Let's think about this for a second," Phantom said. "How old do I look to you?"

Dash frowned. "Uh… twelve?"

"Ouch. Okay close…" Phantom put his hands together. "So if I died at… twelve… how could I be anyone's grandpa?"

Dash opened his mouth.

He closed it.

Phantom giggled.

Dash glared at him. "Then you're his grandpa's brother!"

"You mean… his grand uncle?"

Dash snapped his fingers. _"Yes_," he exclaimed. "And it explains why Fenton supposedly has this- this connection with you."

"Uh huh," Phantom said. "That make you feel better?"

"Huh?"

"Let's say your right," Phantom said.

"So you admit it!"

"Sure." Phantom glanced around the deserted hallway and shivered. He had a feeling the quiet wouldn't last long. "Sure, what does it change?"

Dash sputtered. "It changes everything! Y-you… you're just, what, you got killed by your freaky family? Some weirdo science experiment gone wrong?"

Phantom flinched.

"And," Dash's leaned down, eyes wide. "And you help them fight ghosts? And _Fenton_-"

"What _about _Fenton?" Phantom growled.

"I'm just saying-"

"You don't get to say _anything_ about him," Phantom said. "You torment him for years-"

Dash snorted. "You think _I _torment _him_?"

Phantom pushed Dash against the lockers hard enough to indent them. The metal groaned under them, the sound echoing around the room.

"Yes!" Phantom said. "You torment him!"

He was holding Dash up by his shirt in a way that was familiar.

"But the tables have turned," Phantom whispered.

There were eyes in the locker slits. They glowed green, the only color in this world. They giggled as Dash squirmed.

"He deserves it," Dash said. "He belongs here. Punish him."

"Wh-what?"

"That's what he gets for being a smart alec." Dash put a hand over his mouth, eyes wide, but the words continued. "He made me look stupid in front of everyone."

"Dash-"

"It's not my fault!" Dash screamed.

The bell rang and suddenly the hallway was flooded with students.

"Looks like we've got a tussle!" The Greaser kid floated up through the floor to stand directly beside them.

Phantom glared at him and slowly set Dash back down on his feet.

The kid lifted the collar on his leather jacket and shivered. "Whoo! You're gonna freeze me over with that death glare, kid."

"What are you _doing_?" The cheerleader came running from down the hall. "Stop it! Stop it!"

She froze, eyes wide, and stared at her hands. "You're terrible, Fenton. Just awful."

"Wh-what?" Phantom said.

_Awful, awful, awful_.

The bustle of walking students slowed to a halt. Everyone stared at him.

Phantom glanced back at Dash.

The guy met his gaze with wide eyes.

"S-so you lashed out because I… because Fenton would joke around. Tease you," Phantom murmured. "Okay fine. I get it. I think."

Dash kept his mouth shut.

"I'm not going to hit you!" Phantom said. "I just lost my cool for a second."

Still, Dash said nothing. And the crowd watching them collectively held its breath.

"I'm _not _like you," Phantom said. "I won't let my anger get the best of me. You don't deserve it. No one does."

_It's too cold_, someone whispered.

Phantom looked over the crowd of students again. They were still as statues.

The Greaser still had his hands on his collar, nervous grin frozen in place.

Frozen!

Phantom poked him in the nose.

The ghost was freezing.

The frost was hard to spot, everything was dimly lit and black and white, but when he looked closely…

He'd frozen _everything. _

"Wow, okay," Phantom said. "The ice powers are the hardest to control. I'd rather have, you know, flying."

He glanced at the ceiling. "Hey Universe! Can I make a trade?"

Silence.

Then:

_Too cold_

_The Phantom child_

_Torture_

_Our punishment_

_Cold, cold, cold_

_Kick him out_

_Deserves it_

_It's cold!_

_Just like the rest_

_Trapped_

_We'll crack_

_Crack_

_Shatter_

Phantom put his hands over his ears, but it did no good. The voices got louder.

_Baby ghost_

_We'll shatter!_

_Forgive us_

_Too cold_

_The Phantom_

_Thaw _

_Mirror_

_The locker_

_Get out!_

There were cracks in their faces. The students began to vibrate in place, like badly made toys, and a green light shone through the cracks.

The cheerleader shattered with a piercing scream.

"Shit! I didn't mean to-"

_GET OUT_

Phantom looked at the lockers, trying to remember which one Pointdexter had put the mirror in.

They all slammed open on their own and the mirror glowed like a beacon.

But Dash was still frozen.

Phantom picked him up and a dull _crack_ sound had him glancing down. Dash's feet had been frozen to the ground.

They were still stuck to the ground.

"J-just his shoes," Phantom said.

But his legs ended in jagged stumps.

"It's not real!" Phantom said. "It's… it's not your real body. You're fine."

Dash didn't respond, still frozen with his eyes wide.

"It's fine, we're fine, everything's fine," Phantom chanted. He put Dash in the locker with the mirror, headfirst, and sighed in relief when it disappeared into a green portal.

_Thaw us, Phantom_, the ghosts whispered.

"Hopefully you'll melt when I leave," Phantom said.

Then he jumped through the mirror too.


	32. Chapter 32

When the bell rang for lunch Danny tracked down Sidney and pulled him into a janitor's closet.

Sidney grinned and swept Danny up in a hug.

It was so completely unexpected that Danny didn't have a proper reaction to it.

Wait, no he did. He stiffened and closed his eyes, half expecting the air to be aggressively squeezed out of him, before recognizing the affection for what it was.

He slowly relaxed, breathing deeply.

"I missed you, flutter bug!" Sidney said.

"Uh…"

"Wowie, it's dark in here." Sidney released Danny from the hold to feel around the walls.

Danny grabbed his hands, stopping the search.

He figured it would be easier to have this conversation without seeing the other's expression.

"Listen," Danny began. "Can we keep this whole dating thing under wraps?"

"Under wraps?" Sidney echoed.

Danny squeezed his hands. "You know… a secret?"

Sidney pulled his hands away. "Oh fiddle. But I already told all my friends."

Danny blinked. "Friends?"

"You know. Kwan, his girlfriend. That other brown girl…"

Danny facepalmed. "Th-those aren't your friends! They're Dash's friends!"

Pacing wasn't possible in such a small space, but Danny turned around in a huff anyway. Only to trip over a mop.

"Dammit, when Dash gets back he'll be pissed. Maybe we can say it was a prank? Or we could-"

He sat on the ground and absently kicked the mop, trying to figure out how to salvage the situation.

Then Danny realized he could _see _the mop roll away from him.

Sidney was glowing.

"Who cares what the bully thinks?" Sidney said.

His voice echoed. Like two people were speaking. One voice was familiar- it was Dash- and the other was higher pitched and nasally. Like the guy was congested.

Danny stood back up, hands raised. "Sidney-"

"If my affection for you angers him that's all the more reason to show it," Sidney said. "I can't let him go unpunished. After what he did to you?!"

The shelves behind them were rattling, mops and tools glowing ominously.

"R-right," Danny said. "Right, true. I'm sorry for offending you."

He'd almost forgotten that he was supposed to be babysitting a powerful ghost.

When would Phantom get back?

"You hungry? Let's go to lunch." With his left hand carefully braced on the utility belt, Danny held out his right hand for Sidney to take.

Abruptly, the glow shut off. Some of the tools fell to the ground behind them, and the mop hit Danny in the back of his head.

It didn't hurt much, so Danny ignored it. Focusing instead on his right hand, which was still empty.

There was a pause and Danny squinted into the dark, wondering if Sidney had walked out through a wall or something.

But the door to the closet opened and Sidney was grinning at him. "Let's eat with my friends!"

Instead of settling for just holding hands Sidney wrapped his left arm around Danny's waist. He grabbed Danny's _left _hand, fitting his fingers in between all of Danny's and brushing against the belt.

Danny gulped. "Your friends are mine…"

oOo

The screaming had him half convinced he was still in the mirror.

But just seeing in _color _was all the evidence Phantom really needed.

"I can't believe this!" Sam was pulling at her hair, staring at the bathroom mirror.

Oh, he'd come out into the girl's bathroom?

"Sorry, I didn't mean to!" Dutifully covering his eyes, Phantom gestured towards the ceiling. "I'll fly out-"

"Fuck you!" Sam said. "If you leave I'll kill you."

Removing his hands tentatively, Phantom pouted. "Wow Sam, uh, don't you think-"

"I'm _not _the goth chick, you- you, gah!" She threw her hands up. "This is all your fault! You did something to me, I was frozen-"

"_Dash?!_"

"Yes you moron," Sam was staring at the mirror again, absolutely horrified by what she saw.

By what _he_ saw?

Then she glared at the image, hands on her hips. "Thanks a lot, asshole. Next time we'll let you rot."

Phantom blinked.

Sam pointed an accusing finger at the mirror. "So it was you! You trapped me in there!"

"Wait, are you both in there?" Phantom floated down so he could get a better look.

Sam turned around and grinned at him. "I'm not just going to hand him control."

Then she started crying. "Am I stuck like this?! Am I dead?!"

Phantom automatically reached for her, to comfort her or something, but she smacked his hand away. "Get off me freak!"

But then Sam rolled her eyes. "I see you guys have bonded."

Scratching his head, Phantom squinted at her. "So it's easy to tell you guys apart, but this is disorienting."

Sam sighed. "You think it's disorienting for _you_?"

She stomped her foot. "Where's _my _body? Seriously- shut up! We're working on it."

Grabbing her backpack, she pulled out Pointdexter's mirror. "If I'd left this where it was maybe he'd have flown into some random kid walking by."

Phantom frowned at it. "That might have been better."

"Anyone would have been better," Sam/Dash grumbled. "Ew, I hate the way your boobs hang-"

"Fuck you, I've got a bra on- I can still _feel _them, it's gross- _your _gross," Sam wrinkled her nose. "Just- let's find- my body!"

"C-can one of you take a backseat or something?" Phantom said.

"No!"

"Well then. This'll be fun."


	33. Chapter 33

He tried to play it cool as they made their way into the cafeteria, Sidney's arm still wrapped around Danny's waist.

Students stared at them as they approached the popular kids. Someone whistled.

Tucker, alone at their usual spot, was expressionless.

Danny tried to give him a meaningful look, but Tucker didn't react.

He half expected Sidney to greet Tucker- didn't he like Tucker? - but the ghost had his eyes trained on the A- Listers.

"Hey guys!" Paulina was all smiles. She pulled at Danny's elbow, making sure he sat next to her. "Not hungry today?"

Stuck in between her and his ghostly boyfriend, Danny could only chuckle. "Who needs food when you've got... uh. Friendship."

Lame. So lame. Die. Die for real and give Phantom his life back.

Sidney ruffled his hair. "That's the ticket!"

He kissed Danny on the cheek. "Really should eat though. I'll go get us some meat an' gravy, you just sit tight!"

And just like that he was moving away. Getting in line.

Danny glanced around the table. Would it be weird to leave?

Star giggled. "So you and Dash! How did that happen?"

"Uh, it's a long story," Danny said, glancing back at the lunch line. Then at Tucker.

Tucker was typing away on his phone, looking unbothered. Message not received.

And where was Sam?

"We all knew it was inevitable," Paulina said.

"We did?" Star playfully smacked her forehead. "Right! Duh, we totally did."

Kwan was looking down at his macaroni, squishing it around with his spork. "I mean, he's always been kind of fixated..."

Deciding it was best to play along for now, Danny tried to put together a game plan.

Sidney could fly. He could fly and he could, well he could do ghost stuff... But he didn't take the ghost tech.

Why didn't Sidney take the ghost tech? He'd implied that he knew about it, hadn't he?

"...we just gonna pretend Wes doesn't exist?" Kwan said.

Danny was having trouble keeping tabs on the conversation, eyes still on Sidney as he chatted with the cafeteria lady.

"They've always been rocky," Paulina said. "Just leave it alone."

She leaned into Danny's view, eye lashes fluttering. "Hey, you want my blessing for you two? You'd get instant A-Lister status."

Nodding absently, Danny decided his best option was the thermos. He straightened to look over Paulina's head, keeping his eyes on Sidney.

Paulina poked him. "Or we could toss Dash down the social ladder," she whispered. "Think he'd resent you for it?"

That got a laugh out of him. "Think I'd give a shit if Dash resented me?"

Sidney was approaching with a lunch tray in each hand.

Danny kept his hands under the table, slowly unscrewing the thermos lid.

Paulina grabbed Danny by the chin and forcefully turned his head to face her. "Are you even into men? Or is this a sick play at revenge?"

"Whoa there." Sidney carefully placed the lunch trays on the table.

Paulina let go of Danny's face.

"You writing a book, girlie?" Sidney glanced between the two of them.

"Yeah what's with the interrogation?" Danny opened the thermos and pointed it at Sidney theatrically. "Don't you think he's smart enough to pick his own battles?"

The thermos was cold stone silent.

Danny sighed. The ghost is protected by Dash's body.

He'd figured as much, but it didn't hurt to check.

Paulina tossed her hair back and guffed. "I'm just saying-"

"What _are_ you saying?" Sidney stared at her.

She pouted at him. "Well, weren't you curious too? Did you already ask him?"

In his peripheral Danny noticed Sam finally make her way into the cafeteria.

She was walking oddly. Sort of jogging, but she had her hands out for balance, like she was skidding on ice.

He tried to stand, but Sidney put a hand on his shoulder, keeping him in place.

"... family knows about Phantom," Paulina was saying.

Danny tuned back in. "Wait, what?"

"C'mon we can be friends!" Star chirped. "Don't hold out on us, c'mon. We're just curious is all."

"Curious about Phantom." Right, it was always the same with them. What else had he expected? "Uh, I don't know much-"

"You've been holding out on us," Paulina insisted. "Keeping him for yourself."

Danny huffed. "He's not mine to keep!"

Then Sam was there.

"The hell is going on here?!" She roughly grabbed Sidney and pulled him out of his seat.

He went down easily enough, probably because she caught him by surprise, and Star clapped her hands. "Love rival! Whoo!"

"Sh-she's not a-" Unbidden, Danny remembered pulling Phantom away from her at Ember's concert and he blushed. "Wait, this isn't like that-"

But the way they were glaring at each other was intense. Sidney stood and calmly dusted himself off while Sam braced herself, fists raised.

"Siding with the bully?" Sidney said.

"Y-you're a bully!" Sam said. "And a thief."

She glanced at Danny. "What do you think you're _doing _with him huh?" Her expression twisted into a sneer.

It was an expression that didn't belong on her face. "C-cuddling up with a nerd in _my_\- just get back in there then!"

Before Danny could process what they were talking about he felt cold arms wrapping around his torso. "Sorry I'm late," Phantom whispered.

Danny stiffened.

He elbowed the ghost, ignoring his grunt of surprise and the way his grip tightened, and moved to stand in between Sam and Sidney.

The eyes on him were unnerving. It felt like the entire student body was watching, holding their breaths.

Danny cleared his throat. "Why don't we all just calm down and take this outside? Sam, I can explain what-"

She glared at him. "Shut _up_, Fenton! You can't solve everything with your smart mouth."

He stared at her. "_Dash_?"

Phantom's icy breath on his ear made him shiver. "Get Sidney outside," Phantom whispered. "Dash will follow."

But Sidney had lost patience. Around them lunch trays and backpacks were floating into the air. Students screamed and Sidney chuckled.

"Show yourself, Phantom," Sidney said. "I'm aching for a breaking."


	34. Chapter 34

"Not another food fight!" Sam screamed, crouching down with her hands protectively curled over her head.

She wasn't the only one screaming. Food and utensils were flying around like a tornado around Dash's body and it looked like all Phantom could do was dodge.

That's all _any _of them could do at the moment.

"We have to _move_," Danny grabbed her elbow and hauled her up. "Where's Tucker?"

"It's every loser for himself, stupid!" Sam said.

Right. Not Sam.

"You're a real hero, you know that Dash?"

She, that is _he_, tried to pull his arm out of Danny's grip. "Shut up!" He shrieked with Sam's voice, high pitched and panicked. "Just leave me alone!"

This wasn't Sam, but it hurt seeing her look so vulnerable.

"Stay with me," Danny said. "Let's go outside."

Then Sam was nodding, a determined frown clearing away the panic. "Follow me!" She said.

And he knew, at least for the moment, that he was with Sam again. He released her arm but then she grabbed his hand, and she dragged him towards a wall. "It's safer than going through," she said. "We should hug the walls and go _around._"

But then she froze up again and flinched as an overturned table came flying towards them.

Danny tackled her and they laid flat on the ground for a moment, safe enough as the table landed titled against the wall with a pocket of space beneath it.

"It worked out like a shield," Danny chuckled. "Weird luck, huh?"

She stared up at him with wide eyes and he scrambled to get off. "Uh, Dash or Sam?"

She flinched, then scowled at him. "Ugh, it doesn't matter! Let's just _go_."

She grabbed his hand again, this time squeezing painfully, and they ran side by side until they made it out of the building.

oOo

Phantom knew how to tell Sam and Dash apart now. Her body flickered with a faint glow when Dash was in control, a grey aura hanging over her body and tucking back inside as they flipped back and forth.

It was easier to spot from far away.

It wasn't exactly the same as the green core of a ghost, but maybe it would work the same. Then he could just reach out and tug him out of her…

But he needed Dash's body nearby. Needed them beside each other. Otherwise wouldn't Dash end up kind of like Phantom? A ghost while his body still lived?

_Wouldn't he deserve that though? _

"C'mon baby ghost, I thought you were a hot shot around here?" Pointdexter kept trying to taunt him into violence. "Is it even true that you fought a dragon? Those just tall tales?"

It would feel good to kick Pointdexter _and _Dash through a window.

But that wouldn't exactly be the heroic thing to do.

_So?_ _Why play hero?_

Dash's panicked gasps as Phantom choked him against the lockers replayed itself in his mind's eye. He heard those ghosts in the mirror wailing at the cold. At the pain.

It didn't feel good to be the villain.

"What's the plan after this, Pointdexter?" Phantom said. "Your cover is blown! You can't keep pretending you're Dash Baxter."

Most of the students below then had made it out of the cafeteria, Fenton and Sam/Dash included.

"Then I'll be _myself_ now!" Pointdexter shouted. "I'll make new friends, hell I can skip town and start over. I can-"

Phantom tapped on his Fenton Phones. "Yeah? All by your lonesome?"

There was a bit of static on the line, then Tucker's voice came through. "No one got hurt. I found Sam and Danny in the parking lot."

The fight was slowly going out of Pointdexter. His little tornado of food junk was losing momentum, and he regarded Phantom with disappointment. "Of course not alone," he said. "But… I mean, you don't want to slug it out? At least a little?"

"Phantom? What's the plan?" Tucker said.

Pointdexter mimed throwing a few punches in the air, like a kid pretending he was a boxer.

"Did you want me to go with you?" Phantom said, trying to address them both.

Pointdexter grinned. "Why? Do you like me?"

He flexed Dash's stupid muscles and winked.

His anger had completely evaporated, it seemed, and with it his hold on everything floating around the cafeteria. Gravity re-claimed lunch trays and pudding cups, forks and burger patties.

Sam's voice came in on the Fenton Phones. "Danny says I should try to hug him? He thinks Dash's soul- or whatever- will be drawn to the body. Help me get close."

"I like you a lot," Phantom said. "Why don't we get out of here, huh? Aren't you tired of messing around with humans?"

"Where are we meeting you?" Tucker said.

Pointdexter laughed at him. "It's too bad, but I already got myself a boyfriend!"

"Wh-what boyfriend?"

"Danny Fenton!" Pointdexter grinned. "We been getting to know each other _real _well while you were gone."

And without really deciding too, Phantom shot an ecto-blast at the ghost.

"_Finally_," Pointdexter cheered. "Let's duel like cowboys!"

oOo

Students and teachers stood around in the parking lot, panicked and confused.

"Should we call the cops?" Someone said.

"Phantom is taking care of it!" Paulina retorted.

Tucker and Sam had gotten a hold of Phantom through the Fenton Phones and Danny cursed himself for leaving his at home.

"What's he saying now?" Danny said. "Can he talk Sidney down?"

Sam made a face. Or maybe it was Dash. "He's trying to flirt or something."

Then Tucker gasped. "Oh shit. Oh shit."

They both stared at him.

"What?" Danny said.

"We need to get you to Fenton Works," Tucker said. "Like, yesterday."

"Get _me_ to Fenton Works?"

Then all the windows at Casper High seemed to shatter at once and teachers were trying to calmly heard everyone away from the building.

Sam grabbed his hand and they were running, Tucker hot on their heels.

"Let's take my car!"

She led them to _Dash's _car and removed her boot, using it to break the driver's side window. "Hey!" She shrieked. "You're paying for that when this is over!"

Then she rolled her eyes. "Where are your keys? Spare keys, c'mon."

Danny shared a look with Tucker.

"Real freaky," Tucker said.

She found a spare key in the glove box and impatiently waved them into the car.

They climbed in, Tucker in the front with Sam/Dash and Danny in the back.

"Dude, you should duck down or something," Tucker said. "Seriously, hide."

"Why am I hiding?" Danny said.

"That weirdo ghost wants to kidnap you," Sam said.

"Oh…" He carefully ducked down in the backseat.

"Stall him for now then tell him we're at Fenton Works," Tucker said. Into the Fenton Phones again, he was talking to Phantom. "I guess we can use Danny as bait?"

Wow. Well, at least he was useful for something.

"Why the _hell _does he have the hots for _Fenton_?" Sam growled.

Then she started laughing. "_Wow_, Dash! Oh my god!"

"Hey, stay focused on the road," Tucker snapped. "Could one of you just stay out of the way or something?"

"I don't know how this shit works!"

"Maybe one of us should drive?" Danny suggested.

"Shut up, Fenton," Sam snapped. "Everyone just shut up! _Everyone_."

Then she giggled a bit, but kept her mouth closed.

The rest of the drive was spent in awkward silence.


	35. Chapter 35

Pointdexter didn't immediately notice the damage to Dash's body.

Phantom's blast had landed square on his chest. The injury itself wasn't visible. But what _was _visible was the blistering skin on his fingers when Pointdexter fired off ecto-blasts of his own.

He made a show of it, playfully shooting only with his index fingers- with finger guns and gun sound effects- and didn't seem to actually _feel _any pain. But Dash would feel it when he got his body back.

Phantom tried to be diplomatic.

"You do realize Fenton's parents are ghost hunters?" Phantom said. "They're both on their way here right now, in fact. Is this how you want to be introduced to the in laws?"

Tucker was still in his ear on the Fenton Phones. "You gotta get out of there before they show!" Tucker said. "They're obsessed with catching you, man."

Phantom tried to project self confidence and nonchalance as Pointdexter lost his steam.

The little green forcefield around him helped. He'd finally learned how to keep the thing up.

"Don't you ever wanna play at being the leading man in the picture?" Again Pointdexter tried to break through Phantom's shield. His hands were _smoking._ "I could take Danny on an adventure. Like Humphrey Bogart, running from the law. Like-"

"Like burnt toast and zombie flesh if you keep that up!" Phantom stamped. "Look at your _hands_, cowboy, that body can't hold up to the blasts."

Pointdexter stared down at them in surprise.

"Fiddlesticks!"

He looked around the desecrated cafeteria and Phantom rolled his eyes at the glowing lunch tables, freezing them in place before they could get off the ground.

"This isn't a movie, Pointdexter," Phantom said. "But even if it was, you wouldn't be the hero."

"Phantom!" Sam's voice came through the Fenton Phones, but he had no way of knowing who was actually speaking. "Thought you were going to bring the ghost to Fenton Works?!"

When Jack and Maddie Fenton charged into the room with ghost proof nets and guns blazing, Phantom instinctively disappeared.

"Hah! We can still see you, ghost scum!" Maddie was wearing the heat vision goggles (or cold vision?) and she directed her attention at Phantom while Jack chased after Pointdexter.

"Oh he's going to Fenton Works, all right," Phantom said. "I'm just not the one who'll be taking him."

oOo

As soon as the car rolled to a stop Danny was out and running, he tripped at the stairs and continued up on all fours then slammed into his bedroom, searching for his Fenton Phones.

Later, he'd curl up in embarrassment and wonder why he hadn't just taken Tucker's from him.

But right now.

Right now he was panicking.

When the earphones were finally in his freaking ears he caught Phantom mid sentence.

"... cause I don't know... how to get… get him out, Tucker!" Phantom sounded breathless.

Can a ghost over exert himself? The idea was alarming.

"Don't touch any of the purple stuff!" Danny blurted. "Just fly away, go somewhere else!"

"Purple stuff?" Phantom said. Then, "Whoa! You're a cowboy alright, damn."

Cowboy?

"I agree with Danny," Tucker said. "Just get out of there. And let his parents capture Pointdexter, I guess. Though I think-"

"But I have to make sure-" Phantom was abruptly cut off.

The sudden silence over the coms was eerie. Danny sat on his bed and listened intently, half expecting to hear an explosion, or shouting, or just _something _to indicate what had happened.

Finally he heard Tucker clear his throat. "Maybe he… turned the com off?"

Tucker's voice echoed from the hallway as he tentatively peeked into Danny's bedroom.

Danny just stared at him.

"Okay! Let's say your parents got him," Tucker said. "We'll just set him free somehow. Um, we could-"

"I have to go back," Danny said, standing up.

"But we don't know what's going on with Pointdexter." Tucker shuffled his feet, looking extremely uncomfortable. "Look, I know you were like… flirting with him and all. Uh, but-"

"Tucker, my parents want to _dissect _Phantom." He stormed out of the room and down the stairs as quickly as he'd climbed up them. "It's all they talk about these days!"

"But Phantom said Pointdexter might try to kidnap you!" Tucker said, hot on his heels. "Like he was talking about skipping town, he could just carry you away!"

Danny thought of the possessive arm over his shoulder, the uncertain threat of the ghost's telekinetic powers and paused at the bottom of the stairs.

The thermos had been useless.

"I'm just saying let's wait and see what happens," Tucker said. "Alright? Sam, back me up."

She was pacing in the entryway, arguing with herself (or rather, with Dash) under her breath. Her Fenton Phones were clenched in her fists.

"Sam?" Tucker stood directly in her path, stopping her in her tracks. "You doing okay in there?"

She sneered at him. "Oh, I'm _great_." She glanced over at Danny and gritted her teeth. "Fucking perfect."

Once again, Danny wasn't sure if it was Sam or Dash talking. Maybe they didn't know either.

He couldn't imagine how disorienting it would be to have someone else's voice in your head. Would you blend together? Would a new person be born?

_"It's fascinating isn't it?" _His mom had said once. "_Just trying to wrap your mind around the thought process of a being so different."_

And then dad had lifted a massive chainsaw over their heads. _"We'll rip that thing apart molecule by molecule!" _He'd cheered. _"No mystery will go unsolved!" _

He felt bad for Sam and Dash, but they were stable enough weren't they? Phantom was the one in real _danger_.

Without really thinking about it further, Danny tentatively walked around them and opened the front door.

"Wait, Danny," Tucker started.

_And what exactly was your plan?_ Danny would later ask himself. _Run all the way back to school? _

Sam/ Dash didn't immediately react when Danny broke out into a run. But his head start didn't matter.

Sam was an incredible runner, apparently. She caught up in what felt like seconds and tackled him to the ground.

Flat on the ground, with her full weight on top of him, they all both took a moment to _breath. _

Then Sam/ Dash leaned towards his ear and whispered. "I won't tell him about you if you don't tell him about _me_, huh? C'mon, we're in the same boat here."

She/they snorted. "In the same boat! This body. Is a boat."

Danny twisted around to look at her and she slammed his face into the sidewalk. "Eh, he's fine," they said. "Just a little rough housing, eh Fenton?"

"Get _off_, Dash," Danny said.

"I get off and we go back into your creepy ass house to wait for your parents," they said, then they sighed and Danny felt Sam's weight lift off of him. "Sorry Danny. Let's just try and figure this out. I know it's confusing…"

He sat up and rubbed at his cheek. "Confusing. Yeah that's one way to put it."

She extended a hand to help him up and he took it, but then she yanked her hand out of his hold and he lost his balance, falling back on his ass.

"Dash!"

"I don't want to fucking hold hands with you!" They said. "Just get _up_, God!"

So he got up and followed them back into the house.

_We're in the same boat here_, one of them had said.

Danny knew neither of them would answer if he asked them to elaborate.


	36. Chapter 36

It would have been more convenient if they could read each other's minds. Then they wouldn't have to talk _out loud_ about certain revelations that should forever remain unsaid.

Sam swore to herself she'd kick Dash in the balls as soon as they got him back into his own damn body for that stupid threat he'd made in front of Danny.

Because, yeah, they couldn't hear each other's _thoughts_, but there were physical reactions- uncontrollable hormonal processes- synaptic transmissions, there were _things _that could be felt automatically when you were sitting in someone else's _skin. _

Or when someone else was a house guest in yours.

Sam could feel her heart thundering in her chest as if she'd just run a marathon and all the blood rushed to her face whenever Danny made eye contact with them. A giddy little slap to the face. It was obvious.

And she couldn't pin _all _of it on Dash either, the bastard.

Things seemed just as complicated when they found out about Phantom's possible capture.

"They couldn't have just- just caught him like that!" Dash was insisting. "He's not like the other ghosts, he's-"

"You're preaching to the choir, Dash." Danny was getting better at telling them apart. "We know he's a good guy."

"Okay, so they'll probably prioritize the ghost possessing Dash's body, right?" Tucker, ever the voice of reason, wanted to calm everyone down. "They'll probably just keep Phantom in a net or thermos and leave him alone for a while-"

"I should hope Dash would be the priority," Sam muttered.

She wished her feelings for Phantom weren't so complicated. That she could shove aside the resentment and hurt- and fondness and concern- as easily as rearranging the furniture in her bedroom.

And she wished Dash's feelings weren't so eerily similar. Or was he just feeling her feelings at this point?

"But what if they _shot _him?" Danny was saying. "Their weapons are made to-"

"You said yourself they're more interested in collecting ghosts than exterminating them," Tucker said. "They want to study them."

Sam squinted at Tucker as he continued to comfort Danny. He'd been the only one among them with enough sense to find a first aid kit when he noticed Danny's scrapes (fucking Dash) and was calmly applying antiseptic to the wound on his cheek.

She found herself smiling, despite everything else. Good old reliable Tuck.

But she could also feel herself losing control of her body as her fists and teeth clenched.

"So what the hell are we supposed to do, techno-dork? Just sit around and play fucking nurse?"

Dash felt very differently about Tucker than she did, then. It was good to know. A reassurance that they weren't mixing together.

"The heck do _you _think we should do then?"

Dash blustered. Sam sighed. "It's a good idea to wait," she said. "I mean, this is literally home base."

Danny fumbled his phone out of his pocket. "I'm going to call them."

"And say what?" Dash said, throat tightening with more irrational anger. "Have you seen my ghost uncle?"

Danny blinked. "Ghost uncle?"

"Don't play stupid," Dash started, but Sam groaned and put her head in her hands. "Will you chill the fuck out? You're giving me a stress headache."

"I figured it out, Fenton!" Dash continued, ignoring Sam entirely.

She could only describe the grin on her own face as _giddy _when she felt Dash pull them forward into Danny's personal space.

They poked him in the chest and leaned up into his face. "The ghost boy is a Fenton, isn't he? A dead uncle or something."

Then Sam burst out in uncontrollable giggles.

"Uh, you're not entirely wrong?" Tucker said.

Danny just stood there with his mouth hanging open.

Sam could feel Dash's anger as she continued to laugh, not unlike her giggle fest when she initially discovered Dash's crush.

"Shut up, Manson!" Dash pulled at their hair. "Shut the fuck up! The hell is so funny?"

Before she could respond, Danny's parents finally burst into the house.


	37. Chapter 37

Dash nearly punched himself in the face, just to get the bitch to stop _laughing. _It's not like it was actually _his_ face.

He settled for tugging at her hair (their hair?) and winced at the pain on their scalp. Was longer hair more painful to pull? He felt tears gathering at the corner of his eyes- _their_ eyes- but also felt breathless as he continued to laugh.

As _she _continued to laugh.

This shit was so goddamn confusing. Were the tears from the laughter or the pain? He quickly loosened his grip.

Fenton and Foley shared a look and Dash was ready to punch their lights out- what the hell was he missing?!- but then Mr. and Mrs. Fenton barreled into the house with a giant water tank between them.

Or he figured it was some kind of water tank. A fish tank? There was a sheet over it, but he could hear the water sloshing inside.

And something knocking against glass.

Manson's laughter dried up as they stared at the thing.

Mrs. Fenton was slightly out of breath, her hair was disheveled and damp. It stuck to her face, but she paid it no mind.

"Oh, kids, I'm glad you're here," Mrs. Fenton said. "We caught it! But we might need a bit of help getting the ghost out of your classmate."

More banging on the glass and Dash felt his chest tightening, a soft little gasp. It was Manson, reacting to the news before he could process it.

"Wh-what kind of help?" Fenton said.

The grin Mrs. Fenton directed at them creeped Dash out. It was wide and half crazed, like when his mom stayed up all night redecorating the house.

Mr. Fenton seemed more normal, until Dash realized he was covered in some kind of Jello. He pushed the tank past them and said over his shoulder, "C'mon boys help me get this sucker down to the lab!"

The tank was on wheels.

"Oh, Jack we should install a temporary ramp or something-" Mrs. Fenton started.

"Nah, we'll just roll it down the stairs!"

_It's like helping Mom move the couch_, Dash told himself. _No big deal, no big deal. _

Except he realized, rather quickly, that he was stuck with noodles for arms. Manson had more muscle to her than her loser friends- apparently- but she had nothing compared to what Dash was used to.

Mr. Fenton took the brunt of the tank's weight, holding it up as they slowly directed it into the Fenton's creepy basement.

Dash flinched every time the thing inside knocked on the glass.

_He's just a ghost_, Dash told himself. _In my body, but he's like a guy. Like Phantom. Just… dead. _

He wished he knew what the ghost looked like. He imagined a creepy vampire type of figure, with blue skin and sharp teeth.

Nothing like Phantom, who was a little asshole, but also a _hero_. He wouldn't take someone's body or trap them in a creepy mirror world.

Phantom had gone in there to save Dash, hadn't he? And he'd gotten Dash out.

_Phantom's eyes were GREEN, he was so pissed. The only spot of color in the black and white hallway. Then he breathed some kind of mist and everything was frozen._

_Dash lost his feet. Phantom pulled him up and _broke _him. His legs ended in jagged stumps._

_"I didn't mean to," Phantom had said. "You'll be fine! It's not your real body." _

Dash shivered.

"Here you go, Sam." Mrs. Fenton put a hand on his shoulder and handed him- them- a water hose. "Jack is going to pull him out of the tank and you hose him down okay? We need to get the stasis gel off him before putting him through the net."

Dash blinked. He'd spaced out for a second. What had he missed? "The _what_ gel?"

He could feel Manson rolling her eyes. "Just let me handle it," she muttered.

But Mrs. Fenton was talking to Foley now. "The thermos is simple. You just point and shoot."

"Wait, Mads, Tuck should man the camera," Mr. Fenton said. "This is a first, it's groundbreaking. We gotta record it!"

"I _do _have an eye for filming." Foley walked around the lab like he owned the place and pulled a camera from one of the cabinets. "Is this going to be like an exorcism?! Should we chain him to a bed?"

Mr. Fenton was wearing some goofy metal gloves. They reminded Dash of Kwan's old Hulk gloves, but- well- metal.

He punched them together and the resounding clang made Dash flinch.

"Nah, I'll hold him down with these," Mr. Fenton said. "The Fenton Ghost Gauntlets! There's not a ghost in the world that can phase through 'em!"

And the gloves sparked with some kind of green electricity.

"Awesome!" Foley said. "A bit bulky, but nice and dramatic. Very cinematic."

Dash felt himself cuff Foley upside the head, but it was one of those actions his body carried out without him. Manson did it and she glared at him.

"Sorry." Tucker had been pointing his camera at Mr. Fenton- already filming?- but he lowered it sheepishly. "Uh, is Dash going to be okay?"

"Don't worry, he'll be waking up good as new in a second." Mrs. Fenton was carrying a weird glowing green net thing. It was stretched out into a circle and attached to this big pole. "We're calling this one The Ghost Catcher."

"Like a dream catcher," Manson said. "Uh, nice design."

"Thank you!" Mrs. Fenton said. "Okay is everyone ready? Danny, you've got a thermos?"

"Wait, _what _is-" Dash started, but Manson cut him off. "We're ready."

They were standing around the tank in a circle, Foley with the stupid camera and Fenton with a _thermos_. What the hell was the thermos for?!

He could feel Manson planting her feet and pointing the water hose towards the tank. Mr and Mrs. Fenton stood closer. She was holding up her weird net with a hand on the lid and Mr. Fenton was poised with his stupid gloves.

When the sheet was pulled away he could see _himself_ floating in a bunch of purple goop and breathing through an oxygen mask. Dash stared in horror at himself banging on the glass.

"In three, two, one, go!" Mrs. Fenton pulled the lid off the tank and Mr. Fenton reached in and grabbed Dash's body- grabbed the ghost- by the armpits to hoist him out.

Manson hosed him down and the ghost cried out, he cursed, but he was ignored. The net was passed over his head and a black and white boy in glasses and waist high khakis flew out.

"Get him Danny!" Mrs. Fenton shouted.

Dash felt his world tilting as he lurched forward. Everything blurred and faded and he tried to curl in on himself, tried to touch the floor as he wobbled, but he had no control.

And then he was coughing, and he was wet, and familiar blond bangs were in his face when he opened his eyes.

"I didn't mean to," Danny was saying. "I guess I missed?"

And the Fenton parents were running out of the house as quickly as they'd barreled in.

"The fuck," Dash muttered. "What happened?"

Sam grabbed him by the elbow and hauled him up. "You got your body back," she said. "Don't worry about the rest."


	38. Chapter 38

The first thing he noticed was sand. Phantom sank into the warm fuzzy mess of it and giggled, digging his hands and feet under its surface.

Then he thought to blink up at his surroundings. The stars greeted him overhead, faintly visible despite the city's air pollution, and so did a familiar set of rusted old jungle gym bars.

"Jazz said this was your favorite playground."

Phantom startled at the voice and turned to see Fenton anxiously crouched beside him, screwing the lid back onto the Fenton thermos.

"It was your favorite because the jungle gym here was taller than anywhere else?" Fenton clipped the thermos to his belt. "That's what she said. Oh, and the sandbox. You like it?"

The sandbox was definitely great. Phantom was nearly elbow deep. He was tempted to bury himself completely, but felt a little silly on his hands and knees.

Fenton looked silly too. He was moving his hands oddly, like a mime pretending to feel up an invisible box.

"I couldn't climb for shit." Phantom turned himself around to properly sit down and nonchalantly leaned back on his hands, so he could still sink his fingers into the sand. "I made dad lift me up and then I'd walk on top of it. I had decent balance."

Fenton knocked on the air and there was a strange green reverberation. Like ripples in a pond.

_Oh_.

"A shield!" Phantom squinted at it. "Must have been instinctual. I'm not so great at controlling them yet."

"At least you're visible," Fenton said. "Do you feel okay?"

Phantom wiggled his toes and wished he could take off his boots. "I'm solid."

Fenton knocked on the shield again and Phantom frowned. It was keeping them apart.

Then Fenton pressed his weight against it at just the wrong moment and fell forward, landing in Phantom's lap.

Phantom giggled as Fenton scrambled to his feet.

"Aw, you could have made yourself comfortable there," Phantom said, straightening up and playfully batting his eyelashes. "Lay your head down and get a look at the stars?"

Fenton kicked sand into Phantom's face, but said nothing.

Normally he'd lecture Phantom about a comment like that. Call him a weirdo or accuse him of…

"Fenton?"

Fenton glanced around the park, as if worried about interruption, and then sat down with his legs crossed and back straight.

"You seem tense," Phantom said. "Everything okay?"

The park was completely deserted. The stars were oddly bright.

"Hey, what time is it?" Phantom said.

_What day is it?_ He wondered. It was hard to tell how much time he'd spent in the thermos.

"It's late." Fenton scratched his cheek. "Hey, what exactly does it feel like?"

"What does what feel like?"

Fenton scooted closer and put his arm around Phantom's shoulder. The human kept getting taller and the position was reminiscent of those times Jazz had cuddled him close for late night reassurances.

Was Jazz still taller than Fenton? Or had he overshot her?

"Nevermind, Fenton said. "Let's get out of here."

"And go where?"

"Tucker's house."

Phantom tried to get a good look at him.

Fenton kept glancing around nervously. He was worried about something.

"Uh, why Tucker's?"

"He said you owe him a bro-date." Fenton shrugged. "So I just figured we should see him. I dunno."

Something was going unsaid here.

"What happened with Dash and Pointdexter?"

"Mom and dad took care of it," Fenton said. "So your stupid plan worked, I guess."

As quickly as he'd given the affection, Fenton took it away. He let go of Phantom and stood up.

"Are you mad?"

"You let yourself get _caught_." Fenton turned away, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. "Do you know how long it took me to steal the thermos? If mom and dad hadn't gotten sidetracked-"

His voice cracked on the word 'sidetracked.'

Phantom rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Sorry?"

A flock of birds flew out of a tree behind them and Fenton spun around and threw his hands out wide.

It wasn't a defensive pose.

It was like he was trying to shield Phantom with his body.

"Don't think those birds want to hurt us," Phantom murmured.

Fenton lowered his arms. "Right."

They regarded each other for a moment.

"Listen I-" Fenton started.

"If you-" Phantom stopped short to let the other speak.

They awkwardly smiled at each other.

Fenton cleared his throat. "Uh, let's just go?"

"Sure." Phantom opened his arms, prepared to carry the human into the air.

Fenton winced. "Can I climb on your back or something?"

Phantom tilted his head. "That would be… different."

"Is that a no?"

Phantom shrugged. "Do you need me to, like, kneel?"

Fenton walked around him. "You're pretty short." He hugged Phantom from behind and rested his chin on his head.

Rude.

"You'll need to wrap your legs around me," Phantom said, leaning forward to pull Fenton off his feet. "It's like a piggy back ride."

"Okay maybe this isn't the best- hey!"

Phantom launched them into the air and Fenton had no choice but to cling on for his life. "Too late."

"Slow down!" Fenton shouted.

"Speed up? Sure!"

"Phantom!"

It felt good to fly again.

oOo

They waited for Tucker in his empty bedroom with the lights off.

Fenton stood stiffly beside the door, head tilted towards the crack to listen to the noises of the house.

They could hear silverware clinking against dishes and the soft indistinct murmuring of conversation from a floor below. The Foley's were having dinner.

When footsteps approached them Fenton held his breath.

As the door opened, he sprang. He grabbed Tucker and immediately covered his mouth, urgently shushing him.

Phantom remained invisible throughout this and kept his distance.

He had so many questions.

"Dude, _what the fuck_," Tucker whispered, fiercely. "Your parents are flipping out!"

"I know, I know!" Fenton glanced around the room uneasily and Phantom placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"They called Sam, they called me." Tucker finally turned the lights on and glared at Fenton. "Then they called our parents 'cause they thought one of us was lying!"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Fenton said. "But I needed to get Phantom out-"

Tucker softened at that and eyed the thermos on Fenton's belt. "Oh shit, is he still in there?"

Fenton put his hand over Phantom's and gave it a squeeze. "No, he's here."

Phantom let go of his invisibility with a sheepish grin. "Heeey, Tuck."

"Hey man!" Tucker clapped him on the shoulder. "Good to see you in one piece."

"Thanks," Phantom said. "So, uh, do either of you want to catch me up? I feel like I've missed a lot."

"Well, my parents are pissed." Fenton scratched his cheek "You probably already guessed as much."

Tucker rolled his eyes. "The whole _town _is still panicking about that thing with Dash."

"Don't exaggerate, Tuck."

"It's not an exaggeration!"

Fenton winced at the way the other's voice rose and they both paused, glancing at the bedroom door.

Nothing happened.

Tucker lowered his voice and turned to Phantom. "They decided to cancel school-"

"We were only a month away from summer vacation anyway," Fenton interjected.

Tucker scoffed at him.

"Everyone was already kind of nervous about the ghost 'epidemic'," Tucker continued. "But now that they know ghosts can possess people, the PTA parents flipped out. They don't think the school is safe."

"Like the school is any different than anyplace else in Amity Park," Fenton muttered. "The whole town is contaminated since the portal-"

"I _know_, dude. Chill out." Tucker pulled his phone out and started typing away. "Sam says you're a dumbass by the way. But I'll bet she'll be happy to know you're here."

Fenton huffed, and might have retorted, but Phantom cut in to finally ask, "How long was I in the thermos?"

He should have just asked in the first place.

"A week?" Tucker said. "I honestly thought Mrs. F was gonna strap you to a lab table first thing, but-"

"It's been nine days," Fenton corrected. "And they've both been busy making ghost shields. A lot of people have them in their houses now-"

"And maybe I should get one too," Tucker said. "Who knows when Pointdexter will want another taste of the good life-"

"Shut up, Tuck!" Fenton hissed.

"He didn't get caught?" Phantom glanced between the two of them. "Pointdexter's still around?"

Fenton covered his face with his hands and Tucker raised his eyebrows.

"You didn't tell him about your little-" Tucker started.

Fenton shoved at his shoulder. "Look, he's free, but he's gone. He won't come back."

"How do you know he won't come back?" Phantom said.

"He just won't, okay?" Fenton rubbed at the back of his neck. "Sidney, he…lost interest?"

Tucker gave Phantom a meaningful look, but Phantom couldn't decipher it.

"Lost interest," Phantom echoed. "But didn't

he want-"

"Whatever he wanted before, he doesn't care anymore," Fenton said, firmly. "And he's not a problem. Just trust me on that."

Not for the first time, Phantom wished he could read his human's mind.

Fenton was holding something back, he was _hiding_, and Phantom couldn't understand what or why.

Had he always been this evasive?

"Anyway, what's the plan here?" Tucker said. "Are you spending the night? Cause if my mom catches you she's gonna call your parents. Guess Phantom can just invisibility blanket you, but-"

"No, I need to get home," Fenton said. "I just wanted to make sure Phantom was somewhere safe first. Considering all the-"

"Yeah, yeah-" Tucker said. "But what, are you gonna walk home? It's kind of far."

"Shouldn't I fly you home?" Phantom said.

"No!" Fenton and Foley both said at once.

Phantom frowned.

"They've got a tracker now-" Fenton started.

"It has a limited range, but-" Tucker took off his beanie and nervously flapped it against his hands, glancing between Phantom and Fenton. "Sorry, you explain it."

"It's just, they're probably in the Fenton RV looking for me." Fenton grimaced, as if the idea were distasteful.

"Yup, they are," Tucker said. "They were here for a bit, interrupted dinner. We had to reheat everything and man, meatloaf does not taste the same out of the microwave…"

Tucker often fell back on humor in stressful situations. It was something he and Phantom had always had in common and usually light hearted nitpicks like that could be the start of an irrational giggle fest.

But this was not just a stressful situation. What _would _happen if his parents caught him, and kept hold of him this time?

He'd be lucky if they tossed him in the ghost zone.

"Anyway, we don't want them catching us together," Fenton said. "I'm just going to walk for a bit and then I'll call them. They can pick me up. But I want you to be out of range."

_And then what?_ Phantom thought. _Go back to business as usual? _

They all just stood looking at each other, then. It was like they'd finally realized something was wrong here.

And someone was dead.

Phantom could see their breath as the two humans in front of him breathed in the chill of him, the cold he'd stirred up once again just by existing for too long. By feeling too much.

They stood stiffly and didn't comment on the temperature. But Tucker couldn't conceal a big shiver.

Phantom cleared his throat. "I'll just fly you back outside, then."

"R-right. Thanks." Fenton didn't quibble about being carried this time. He allowed Phantom to scoop him up and carry him like a bride.

When he deposited the human onto the sidewalk, Phantom was granted a lingering hug. "Stay safe, okay?"

"You too," Phantom said.

He flew back to Tucker and they watched Fenton from the window. He walked away with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"So what really happened with Pointdexter?" Phantom said.

Tucker chuckled. "He dumped Danny."

"Dumped him?"

"Yeah, it was kind of hilarious how pissed off he was about it. Danny, I mean." Tucker theatrically glared to the side and waggled his finger. "You think _I _look different, Sidney? How does that even make sense! You're the one with a different face!"

Phantom processed that for a moment. Really tried to wrap his head around it. But the idea was baffling.

Fenton had, what, gotten a crush on that ghost? On that _guy_?

"So then..." Phantom scratched his head. "So then Fenton's gay?"

Nothing wrong with it in and of itself, but wasn't gayness genetic? Phantom himself had always liked girls.

"Nah, he's bi," Tucker said, offhandedly. He was typing away at his phone again, unconcerned by the dilemma.

But then he looked up and scrutinized the look on Phantom's face. "_Oh_," Tucker said. "Does that mean you're bi too? Since you're both kind of… the same person?"

"I'm straight!" Phantom said. "I've never…"

Never looked at a guy that way, he wanted to say.

Or had he?

Tucker hummed thoughtfully. "I guess you guys are more like brothers, or something. Even with twins sometimes one is gay or bisexual or something. It's not unheard of."

Brothers. Were they brothers? Not clones, not two halves of the same person?

The idea was unsettling.

"Anyway, how about a movie marathon?" Tucker said. "We can stay up all night, maybe play some video games too. It'll be just like old times."

There was no point in dwelling on it, Phantom supposed.

"That sounds great," he said. "We'll pretend it's summer vacation."

"For all intents and purposes, it _is _summer vacation," Tucker grinned. "And summer is early this year! Just goes to show there's a bright side to every natural disaster."

"And the unnatural ones too," Phantom quipped.

"Especially those!" Tucker dug out a crate of DVDs from under his bed. "So are we thinking alphabetical or by year?"

"Surprise me."

Tucker closed his eyes and stuck his hand in the box, randomly selecting a movie.

Whatever it was, Phantom knew it would be good. Tucker had the best taste in movies.

"Little Shop of Horrors," Tucker said. "Killer effects, morbid storyline _and_ it's a musical."

"I've seen the movie, Tuck, you don't have to sell it to me."

"Right. You have." Tucker sat back on his heels and regarded Phantom. "I kind of got used to having to explain things to Danny from scratch. He hasn't seen a lot of these yet."

Phantom looked into the box. Every DVD was familiar to him. He'd watched and re-watched them countless times.

"Do he and I have the same tastes, do you think?"

"Good question," Tucker said. "Very good question."

But Tucker didn't have a clear answer for him.

Some questions just hung in the air like that. And they moved on, as if they hadn't been asked.

**END PART FOUR**


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